The Time of the Great Growing
by AllegroGiocoso
Summary: Now teenagers, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike find themselves on a new adventure in which they have to face deadly opponents, protect lives, and experience forbidden feelings that neither they nor anyone else imagined they would ever have. Littlefoot x Cera, Ducky x Petrie
1. A Special Sleep Story

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Land Before Time and its universe, which belong to Universal.

Chapter 1: A Special Sleep Story

High above the Great Valley, the night sky was a breathtaking shade of deep blue. There was not a sign of a sky puffy, and the great night circle shined brilliantly while the stars twinkled above. Down below, the tall grass was swaying with a gentle breeze, and the night chirpers were chirping peacefully. In this tall grass sat a young brown longneck with a chocolate colored back, a lighter-colored belly, and large, soft, warm, eyes. Despite being smaller than most longnecks, he still had grown considerably over the years. His legs were thicker, his body was taller, and his neck and tail had lengthened to the point where he was able to stretch his neck high above the ground and watch the stars twinkle above him. He slowly felt his eyes shut and his mouth smile as he looked up into the sky...

"Psst…Littlefoot! Over here!" came a eager, muddled voice from behind him. Littlefoot turned to see who was calling for him. He saw that a shadowy figure was sitting in some distant grasses, and Littlefoot's heart instantly began to race. Without fully understanding why, he felt like he was waiting for this moment, as he felt a sort of deep, inexplicable connection with the voice. Though he was very curious about who was talking to him, he felt that he had to be considerate and so he slowly walked over to the figure. Through the near complete darkness of nighttime, Littlefoot had a hard time trying to figure out who the shadowy figure was. He couldn't quite place the voice either since it also was hard to make out, though part of him couldn't help feeling that the voice was very familiar to him. He drew closer and closer to the shadowy figure, until he saw that it was sitting right in front of him. He felt very contented as he smiled down at the shadow and whispered, "I'm here."

Then abruptly, the scene blurred. All Littlefoot could see was pitch black darkness. He then blinked and slowly opened his eyes. He realized that instead of sitting in the tall grasses, he was lying on a large rock on top of a hill. He looked up in the sky and saw that the bright circle was now shining high above him and that some flyers were circling high above his head, gathering berries for breakfast and returning to their perches. Littlefoot blinked a couple more times as he got used to the morning light, and realized that he must have had a sleep story.

"You okay Littlefoot?" came a nearby voice. Littlefoot slowly lifted his head up as his eyes continued to blink slowly. He smiled as he saw Petrie, a flyer and one of his best friends, clumsily walk over to him from a little ways away. Like Littlefoot, Petrie grew, but his growth spurt was much more dramatic than Littlefoot's. It was not too long ago when Petrie could sit on Littlefoot's head, but now, Petrie was only a bit smaller than his mother, and he had also grown a longer crest on the back of his head. His voice, however, still sounded like it did when he was a little kid, and he still spoke with his peculiar form of broken language.

"I'm okay, Petrie," Littlefoot sighed and smiled gently at him. "I just had a sleep story."

"What it about?" Petrie asked curiously, as he sat down next to Littlefoot. Littlefoot looked at Petrie thoughtfully, and even though he was deep in thought, he couldn't help but to notice that Petrie was breathing a bit restlessly.

"Well, I was sitting in the tall grass, and…I heard a voice," Littlefoot explained, sighing dreamily as he laid his long neck down.

"Me hear that story all the time," Petrie told Littlefoot. "You always have same sleep story."

"Yeah…I do have it a lot," Littlefoot told Petrie softly. "But that doesn't make it any less special. That voice in my dream makes me feel happy inside…and I feel that it's happy to see me too."

"Petrie curious," Petrie replied. "Me wonder who it is."

"I wonder too," Littlefoot told Petrie happily, sighing. "I just…feel that these sleep stories have to be important. I've been having this same sleep story for nearly every night now…so it must mean something."

"Come on Littlefoot," came a skeptical voice from behind them. Littlefoot and Petrie turned, and saw that a familiar orange threehorn was walking up to them from the other side of the hill. Littlefoot smiled, for this threehorn was his old friend Cera. Cera was now large for a threehorn of her age, as she was only a bit smaller than her dad. She also had a larger frill and she had just recently grown her other two horns that she lacked when she was a kid. She sat down by Littlefoot's other side, shook her head, and sighed, "Don't think so much about it. It's just a sleep story."

"This isn't an ordinary sleep story," Littlefoot replied. "It's that same one I've been having all the time…and it always feels… special. I still remember it vividly. Every moment of it," Littlefoot explained.

Cera rolled her eyes. "A sleep story is a sleep story," she countered, her green eyes flashing skeptically at him. "Don't be silly Littlefoot."

Littlefoot wasn't convinced, but since Cera had a stubborn streak, he knew that it would be very difficult to get Cera to change her mind. Littlefoot then noticed that Petrie was looking vacantly off in the distance, and that he was trembling and mumbling to himself. Littlefoot leaned a little closer to Petrie and asked, "Is anything bothering you Petrie?"

Petrie jumped and turned quickly, and looked at Littlefoot and Cera with very wide, distracted eyes. "Me bothered? No…me just fine…no, me not bothered at all," Petrie told them, laughing unconvincingly.

"Come on Petrie," Cera wheedled, nudging him gently with her front horn. "I can tell that you're nervous, don't try to pretend that you're not. You seem completely distracted."

"Okay, fine," Petrie told them, waving his wing in resignation. "Me…Me feel like me have sharptooth chasing me." Petrie shook his head. "No, not that it… me… me… me terrified!" he cried out.

Littlefoot and Cera looked at each other blankly, not knowing what to say next. Then Petrie cried out dramatically, "Petrie want to be brave!"

"Well," Cera told Petrie confidently. "You've come to the right threehorn! You just need to step up to your fear and tell yourself that you can take anything on. Like this! Watch me hit this boulder!"

Cera nodded towards a spot a little ways away from them, where a large, heavy boulder sat waiting. Cera excitedly got up, took a few steps back, grinned with determination, and with gusto she charged at the boulder. With the help of her newly grown horns, she managed to ram the boulder head on, causing it to shatter into many little pieces. Cera smiled brightly as she tossed her head up into the air in triumph. "Hee!" Cera laughed. Then she smiled at Petrie and told him, "All it takes is some practice and confidence and you can stand up to anything!"

"Petrie can't do that," Petrie sighed. "And me not sure that can help. Me not afraid of anything like a boulder."

"Well then, what are you afraid of, Petrie?" Littlefoot asked.

Petrie gulped, and shook his head frantically. "Petrie…not say…"

Littlefoot and Cera looked at each other and then smiled at Petrie. "Don't worry Petrie," Littlefoot told him. "Because no matter what you're scared of, we're your friends, and we'll always be there for you."

"Just remember, be sure of yourself and tell yourself you can do it!" Cera added encouragingly.

Just then, Littlefoot, Cera and Petrie turned, for they had heard voices coming from the bottom of the hill. They soon saw that their old friends Ducky and Spike were happily hurrying towards them. Spike was almost the size of a full-grown spiketail, but though Ducky had grown a good deal, she, like Littlefoot, was on the smaller side for her kind. Ducky had grown a longer crest on the back of her head and longer, taller legs, while Spike had begun to grow his spikes and plates on his tail and back, and his build became slightly rounder from his love of eating. "Hi guys!" Ducky called out excitedly. "The grownups are calling for us to come down! We have guests, yep yep yep! Come on!"

Littlefoot called back, "Okay, we're coming!"

Ducky smiled, "Great!" Then she pushed on Spike, who was still happily eating ferns. "Spike, you should stop eating now! We have to get back to the grownups, we do!" she insisted, yet she giggled while she spoke. At first Spike didn't seem to notice her, since he was deeply absorbed in eating his ferns. Ducky smiled and waited patiently while Spike finished his ferns. Then Spike then looked at Ducky, nodded and licked her, and the two of them began to walk back.

"Littlefoot, hurry up! Let's go!" Cera told him.

"Okay!" Littlefoot replied. But just as Littlefoot began to follow Cera back, he looked behind him and saw that Petrie was acting funny again. Littlefoot noticed that Petrie was shivering, despite it being a warm, sunny day, and that he was sitting on the ground in a very odd position. Littlefoot couldn't even see Petrie's face because he was covering it up with both of his wings.

Littlefoot sighed, and knowing that Petrie would not like it if everyone saw that he was still acting strangely, he checked to make sure no one was watching him and quietly walked back to Petrie. "Come on Petrie," Littlefoot told him gently as he arrived, bending down to him. "You should come too."

Petrie didn't hear Littlefoot right away. He was still shivering, and Littlefoot saw that he was beginning to bite on his wing. Littlefoot then bent down even closer to Petrie, so his mouth was right by Petrie's ear before he asked, "Are you okay, Petrie?"

Petrie turned and gasped in surprise, seeming to have just realized that Littlefoot was there. "Oh hi Littlefoot! Me…me just fine! All right, me go!" Petrie told Littlefoot breathlessly, and he instantly soared off high above Littlefoot and began to flap his wings loudly. But Littlefoot noticed that while Petrie finally stopped shaking, he was flying clumsily and was avoiding eye contact at all costs.


	2. Return of the Longneck Herd

Chapter 2: Return of the Longneck Herd

Littlefoot looked up at Petrie concernedly as they left the top of the hill. Then as he looked back down to see where he was going, he noticed that Cera was still standing there, staring at him expectantly. "Littlefoot, come on! What's taking you?"

"Coming Cera," Littlefoot replied. He soon caught up with Cera, and together they ran down the hill towards the clearing where they saw Ducky and Spike heading off to, while Petrie flew above their heads. Littlefoot, Cera and Petrie then saw that what appeared to be all of the residents of the Great Valley were gathered together, surrounding a small group of longnecks who stood closely together. The three of them then looked for Ducky and Spike, and after a little while found them standing behind Littlefoot's grandparents.

"There you are!" Ducky exclaimed happily. "It's almost time, it is!"

"Sis! You'll never guess what's happening!" came another voice. Everyone looked and saw that a small pink threehorn was rushing over to them. This little threehorn was Tricia, Cera's half-sister, who was now about as old and large as Cera was when she first met Littlefoot.

"What's going on Tricia?" Cera asked curiously.

"These longnecks just came here…and Littlefoot's grandparents seem to know them!" Tricia explained breathlessly. Then she turned to Littlefoot. "I don't know much else… but your grandparents are really friendly with them, and they seemed to know that they were coming."

"They probably did, since they're the only adult longnecks in the Great Valley now. Still, I wish they told me about this… I wonder why they didn't," Littlefoot pondered aloud.

"Probably for some stupid reason," Cera replied, kicking a stone. "Grownups often don't make sense…just look at my dad."

"Yeah," Littlefoot sighed. "He sure seems kind of…well, grumpy…", to which Cera nodded sadly.

"Shh…." Ducky whispered. Then she looked at Littlefoot and exclaimed, "Littlefoot, it looks like your grandma and grandpa are going to talk! They are, they are!"

Grandpa and Grandma Longneck were indeed clearing their throats, and the whole crowd fell silent. "Is everyone here?" Grandma Longneck asked.

The crowd nodded and murmured in agreement. "Wait!" Ducky gasped, remembering something. "Ruby is not here, no no no!" Ducky jumped up and down and tried to get the grownups' attention, but none of the grownups seemed to notice her, for they were still nodding in agreement.

"Chomper not here either," Petrie said, flapping his wings worriedly. "Me no see Chomper in long time, have you?" The gang all shook their heads. But before they could say another word, Grandpa Longneck took a step forward and began to speak.

"Ahem. Well everyone, we are delighted to have some visitors who will be staying for a while. For those of who are too young to know," he smiled down at Tricia, "Or who weren't here when it happened," he nodded toward Mr. Clubtail's new wife and two other clubtails that also moved in, and then continued, "These are our cousins."

"We were in the same herd once before I married my husband," Grandma Longneck told the rest of the Great Valley residents. "And then, as everyone who was here for a while knows, one of our relatives helped saved my husband's life."

The longneck herd murmured to each other, and in their midst, one of them walked out and towards Grandpa Longneck. She looked very much like Littlefoot, but she had a purplish-brown skin color, bright blue eyes, and long, pretty eyelashes.

"It's Ali!" Ducky gasped, smiling brightly.

"Me haven't seen her in ages!" Petrie exclaimed.

"I can't believe she's back!" Cera added.

Littlefoot nodded happily along with them, reminiscing about the time he first met Ali all of those years ago.

Back above, the grownups, especially Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were admiring Ali. "Thank you again Ali, for helping show our grandson and his friends to the night flowers!" Grandpa Longneck told her. Then he smiled down at Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike, and then smiled back again at Ali. "Without all of you children, I would not be here today…so thank you all very much!"

"Oh, don't mention it," Ali smiled as the crowd, most prominently the longnecks in her herd, began to cheer.

But Littlefoot noticed that Ali was not really paying attention to the crowd's cheering. Instead, her head swiveled over the crowd of Great Valley residents, as though she was on the lookout for someone. Since Littlefoot and his friends were behind Grandpa and Grandma Longneck, they knew she couldn't see them properly. Ali frowned slightly and walked on, continuing to look through the crowd.

"Littlefoot, Ali's looking for you, she is, she is," Ducky told Littlefoot.

"Me know Ali like you," Petrie added as Littlefoot smiled. "She always really happy to see you."

From above, Grandma Longneck said, "Well, let's give our guests the opportunity to settle in," and at that moment the crowd dispersed, leaving the clearing in many different directions.

Littlefoot was watching the herd of longnecks and began to look for Ali, but in a just a couple of moments, he quickly felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he grinned as he saw that Ali had already found him. She was reeling in her neck and grinning back at him. "Hi Littlefoot! I've been looking everywhere for you!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

"Ali! It's great to see you!" Littlefoot told her brightly. "I sure missed you!"

"I missed you too, Littlefoot," Ali told Littlefoot gently as she took a few steps closer to him, giving him a soft, warm smile.

Cera then cut in between Littlefoot and Ali and tapped on Ali's leg. As Ali looked down, Cera smiled and asked, "Hey Ali…remember me?"

"Of course I do Cera," Ali laughed sweetly. "You're still one of a kind as always."

"It's great to see you again," Cera told Ali brightly.

"It's great to see you too," Ali said happily. "I've kept asking for my mom to take our herd back here, and I can't believe that we're finally here now!"

"Yeah," Littlefoot smiled. Then he asked, "So how have things been for you?"

"Oh, my herd and I have been wandering," Ali told Littlefoot serenely. "It's been all right, I guess. We've had a lot of excitement traveling through the Mysterious Beyond... but there's no place quite like the Great Valley. It's safe from sharpteeth, and it's so beautiful and peaceful here."

"We want you to stay forever, yep, yep, yep!" Ducky exclaimed cheerily to Ali.

"Oh, Ducky you are so sweet," Ali smiled gently. Then Ali turned and looked into Littlefoot's eyes. "Would you want me to stay forever, Littlefoot?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Littlefoot told her friendlily as he heard a strange cough from nearby.

"The Great Valley has lots of food, it does, it does," Ducky told Ali cheerfully. "If you stay here, you will find more tree stars than you can imagine!"

"You're right about that," came a couple of voices. Turning, everyone saw two girl longnecks that were just Littlefoot's age and height. One was light green with speckles and a beige belly, and had a boxy-shaped head. The other one was a shade of almost pure white, with three dark blue stripes on her back, was very slender and had a very long neck that was significantly longer than her tail.

"This place is amazing, isn't it Mia?" the boxy-head longneck said in a fluttery, cheerful voice.

"It sure is, Cam," Mia, the white longneck replied, in a firmer, but still very cheerful voice.

"Who are they?" Littlefoot asked Ali.

"Oh," Ali smiled. "They're a couple of girls who joined our herd not too long ago. They can be a bit of…" but Ali was cut off as Cam and Mia rushed over and stood right in front of Littlefoot.

"Ooh! You must be Littlefoot! Ali has told us so much about you!" Cam said, excitedly looking into his eyes.

"Back off Cam," Mia said. "I want to talk with the handsome one. So, how're you doin'?"

"Uh," Littlefoot answered nervously, trying to back away from them. From below, he distinctly heard a loud, irritated grunt. Then, he felt a gentle tap on his leg.

"Littlefoot," came a voice from below. Littlefoot looked down, and there stood his old friend Ruby, who was now a young adult. While she had grown a bit from when she was younger, she was now much shorter than Littlefoot, as fast runners like her naturally tended to be small when fully grown. "I've got to talk to you about something."

"OK," Littlefoot nodded. Then he looked back up at Cam and Mia, who were continuing to stare at him excitedly. This made Littlefoot feel very uncomfortable. "Uh…what're your names again?"

"Cam," Cam quickly smiled.

"Mia," Mia quickly smiled too.

"Er…right," Littlefoot answered. "Well, I've got to go now. It was nice meeting you, and maybe we could talk later," he told them politely.

"See you…later!" Cam and Mia replied, breaking into a giggling fit. "Bye bye, cutie neck!"

Then, Littlefoot whispered to Ali, "Let's have another talk soon, OK?"

"OK Littlefoot. I look forward to it," Ali replied, giving him a sweet smile, and then she began to talk with Mia and Cam as Littlefoot and Ruby walked away from the clearing.


	3. Cave Depression

Chapter 3: Cave Depression

Ruby led Littlefoot through the clearing and to a small forest that nobody else was heading to for it led to a desolate part of the valley that bordered the Mysterious Beyond. "How come you weren't at the gathering before, Ruby?" Littlefoot asked curiously. "Ali and her herd have come back."

"I saw, and I wish I could've been there," Ruby told Littlefoot sadly. "But I've been preoccupied with something else. Littlefoot, I… I've got to show you something… it's at the edge of the Great Valley, and it would be best if no one else sees where we're going." Ruby told Littlefoot quietly.

"Right," Littlefoot replied quietly. Careful not to make a sound, the two of them continued to walk, passing by several rivers and forests as they approached the edge of the Great Valley. Littlefoot couldn't help but notice that Ruby was holding her head low and was walking a bit slower than usual.

"Are you all right, Ruby?" Littlefoot asked her gently.

"Not really…you'll understand when we get where we're going," Ruby sighed sadly. Then she continued, "At least if we don't get stopped by those two longnecks. They sure seem to be interested in you, Littlefoot."

"Yeah, they're a couple of characters," Littlefoot told Ruby, and the two of them gently laughed to each other.

"Do you like them?" Ruby asked.

"They're okay, I guess," Littlefoot answered. "Though you're right, they do pay a lot of attention to me...maybe a bit too much attention. I mean, we only just met and they can't stop staring at me!"

"Oh Littlefoot, they're flirting with you," Ruby told Littlefoot consolingly, smiling understandingly.

"Flirting?" Littlefoot asked Ruby bewilderedly as they passed through a patch of trees. "But they don't even know me!"

"They probably just think you're really handsome. Don't worry about it too much though, they'll calm down with time." Then abruptly, Ruby stopped walking. Littlefoot looked up and saw that he and Ruby were standing in front of a tall cave. Littlefoot wasn't very familiar with this cave, since he didn't go to this corner of the Great Valley very often and the cave's entrance was well-camouflaged with the surrounding rocks. Ruby looked at the ground sadly and muttered, "Well, here we are…". She then looked on either side of her to check to see if the coast was clear.

"Tell me if you hear anyone nearby," Ruby whispered. The two of them listened, but they could only hear the sound of eating in the distance and the only dinosaur they saw was the distant form of a longneck eating treestars. Littlefoot, understanding Ruby's determination to keep their talk private, bent down so Ruby could mutter softly to him.

"You didn't see anyone nearby, did you?" Ruby asked.

"No," Littlefoot answered.

Ruby nodded in understanding. Then she walked up to Littlefoot's ear and began to whisper to him. "It's about Chomper," she explained.

"So you know where he is?" Littlefoot asked, his eyes flickering eagerly. "I've been missing him… I haven't seen him in ages! How's he doing?"

"Well…" Ruby looked at Littlefoot seriously, and to Littlefoot's alarm, a tear fell down her cheek.

"Are you okay Ruby?" Littlefoot asked concernedly.

Ruby nodded, gulped, and then she sighed, "Littlefoot… Chomper is growing up."

"Yeah, I guess he is," Littlefoot told Ruby puzzledly. But then another thought came into his head that caused a chill to roll down his spine. He frowned and asked, "Ruby, do you mean…."

Ruby nodded hurriedly. "He's been having a really hard time finding food recently. Stinging buzzers aren't keeping him full anymore," she explained. "The only way for him to keep himself full now is to eat bigger sources of red food...and that probably would have to mean…" Ruby gulped.

Littlefoot gasped and shook his head. "Ruby…. Chomper would never eat anyone in the Great Valley…we raised him here, and we are like his family! I trust him completely, and he would never attack one of us!"

"Well…" Ruby told Littlefoot sadly. "You should go in and talk to him. I'll be with you too if that's okay, and since it's kinda dark in there, I'll use my shiny stone to help show you the way."

Littlefoot whispered, "OK", and Ruby picked up a shiny stone that sat on the grass right outside of the cave. "Come on, follow me in. Be careful not to bump into the walls. This cave could easily cave in, and it's a tight fit for a longneck," she warned as she held up her shiny stone. Littlefoot nodded, and without another word, he followed Ruby into the cave. The cave was just as dark and narrow as Ruby said it was, with long, curving tunnel-like paths. Ruby, holding the shiny stone in front of her, provided just enough light for her and Littlefoot to see where they were going. The two of them walked through the cave nervously, for the cave was eerily quiet.

"We're here…" Ruby muttered softly, and a talk-back of her voice repeated quietly. Littlefoot's eyes were still adjusting to the darkness, but he could barely make out that he was in a large, open chamber, with many boulders scattered on the ground and stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

"Where's Chomper?" Littlefoot asked Ruby quietly. Ruby moved her shiny stone so it shone toward the ground, and Littlefoot saw that a long dark tail was lying nearby them. Ruby led Littlefoot along an edge of the cave, following the path of the tail, and then they saw a medium-sized sharptooth's body lying on the ground before arriving at the corner of the room. Two tall boulders were situated along the wall that they just walked to, and Littlefoot could barely make out that the head of the sharptooth was between the two boulders.

Littlefoot bent down close to the boulders, and asked uncertainly, "Chomper?"

Then Littlefoot heard a couple of sobs. "Littlefoot…is that you?"

"Yeah Chomper, it's me," Littlefoot answered, and upon hearing Chomper's voice, he immediately became concerned. Normally, Chomper was a very happy-go-lucky dinosaur who was always eager to play and go on adventures with Littlefoot and his friends. Littlefoot had never seen Chomper in such a depressed mood, and seeing him like this made Littlefoot very worried. Trying to conceal his worries, Littlefoot asked, "Why have you been hiding out in this cave all the time? My friends and I really miss you and we want to see you again."

"You guys won't want to see me now," Chomper answered, crying with every word he spoke. "And I can't see you again, either."

"Why not?" Littlefoot asked sadly.

"Littlefoot, I… don't you realize? I'm a sharptooth! I used to be fine when seeing you guys. I was able to eat ground crawlers and stinging buzzers back then, and so it was easy to find enough red food. But… those stinging buzzers and ground crawlers aren't filling me up anymore. I've tried, Littlefoot, I've tried really hard to find all the stinging buzzers and ground crawlers that I can. I've eaten hundreds…even thousands on a single day. But even on my good days, my tummy still rumbles in the lone hours of the night. Sometimes, my sniffer wakes me up from my sleep stories because it smells the red food that's everywhere around me. I couldn't stand it, knowing that if I satisfied my cravings, someone would get hurt. You see Littlefoot, I'm a sharptooth… and I know that the only way for me to live is to eat…..eat bigger red food…eat leaf eaters…"

Littlefoot gasped in horror, his eyes wide with alarm. He glanced at Ruby, who nodded to Littlefoot sadly, before his eyes returned to look at Chomper again. "But Chomper, there must be another way!" Littlefoot gasped.

"Yeah, there is…" Chomper told Littlefoot, with a determined tone to his voice. "I don't want to eat anyone here and become a monster… I can't stand being a sharptooth, after I've gotten to know everyone. Everyone's been so kind to me…I would feel terrible for the rest of my life if I end up eating someone here for dinner. What if I become a danger to you? What if I eat Ducky… or Cera…or Petrie… or Spike?"

"Don't worry Chomper, you can control your instincts, I'm sure of it! Your parents were able to control theirs when we were with them," Littlefoot told Chomper consolingly.

"But my parents had other red food to eat. With me, it's different. I've been hungry all the time and I'm afraid I won't be able to resist my hunger for much longer. So I've decided... that I…I won't eat anything at all," Chomper declared.

Littlefoot gasped in horror. "Chomper! You can't mean that! You'll starve!"

"It's the only way," Chomper told Littlefoot stubbornly. Then he sighed, "Leave me Littlefoot. I can't be with you guys anymore without putting you at risk. The only way I can make you happy now is just to lie here and wait for my time to end."

"But we won't be happy without you," Littlefoot cried, and tears began to fall from his eyes. "Chomper…you're one of us! We'll miss you for the rest of our lives!"

"Littlefoot, just forget about me!" Chomper told Littlefoot firmly, and for the first time, Littlefoot heard the glimmer of the sharptooth in Chomper's voice. "You'll all be happier this way. Just leave and forget about me, all right?"

Littlefoot was about to argue again, but then Ruby whispered, "He's not feeling good…I think we should let him rest for a while and try again later."

Littlefoot nodded slowly, and bending down closely to Chomper's ear, he gently whispered to Chomper, "No matter what you are Chomper, you'll always be a part of our hearts."

Chomper didn't seem to hear Littlefoot since he was sniffling and crying loudly. And with their hearts filled with sorrow, Littlefoot and Ruby left the cavern. They silently walked through the cave's tunnels, with Chomper's words ringing in their ears. Littlefoot was so preoccupied with everything that Chomper had said that Ruby had to warn him a few times that he was about to crash into a cave wall, but to Littlefoot, crashing into a cave wall was the last of his worries. When Littlefoot and Ruby got to the end of the tunnel, Ruby put the shiny stone in the grassy spot where she got it from and she and Littlefoot sadly stood in front of the cave.

"Poor Chomper…" Littlefoot tearfully sobbed. "He didn't do anything to deserve this!"

"Yeah," Ruby told Littlefoot sadly. "He's been like this for a while now. I'm seriously concerned that he might really starve himself."

"Isn't there anything we can do to help him?" Littlefoot asked Ruby as the two of them began to wander back toward the center of the Great Valley, though they were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn't pay attention to where they were going.

"I thought about that too," Ruby answered. "But since he won't eat, I can't come up with anything."

Littlefoot sighed sadly. "It's too bad he can't eat green food and red food like you can Ruby…"

"I know," Ruby sighed. "Well…"

But as Ruby took another step, she and Littlefoot heard a loud shout from the ground. Ruby gasped, "I stepped on something, a something that I stepped on!"

"Get off Petrie!" a familiar voice gasped desperately.


	4. Forbidden Love

Chapter 4: Forbidden Love

Ruby and Littlefoot looked down and saw that Ruby was standing on top of one of Petrie's wings. "Oh! Sorry Petrie!" Ruby gasped apologetically as she stepped back.

"Petrie OK," Petrie replied, flapping his wing as he continued to lie down. Littlefoot could tell that Petrie still looked very nervous.

"Petrie, what's wrong? Why are you lying on the ground?" Littlefoot asked.

"Nothing wrong," Petrie explained. "Petrie just feel like lying…"

But he was interrupted with the sound of a cheerful gasp that came from nearby. Looking forward, Littlefoot, Ruby, and Petrie saw that Cera, Ducky, and Spike were laughing in a shallow stream a little ways away from them. They were playing a game where Cera and Ducky were volleying a large pinecone to each other as Spike made comical attempts to stop it from crossing.

"Ducky, here's the cone!" Cera laughed, hitting the pinecone over Spike's head.

Ducky turned a little to catch the cone, and then she noticed Littlefoot and Ruby. She waved, "Hi guys! Wanna play spiketail in the middle! It is fun, yep yep yep!"

Petrie instantly cowered on the ground. He began to shiver and frantically shook his head, looking at Littlefoot and Ruby desperately. "Not now, Ducky," Ruby told her gently. "Littlefoot and I are kind of tired and we need to rest."

"Oh, okay then!" Ducky cheerfully told them.

"Come on Ducky, throw the cone!" Cera told her excitedly.

"Just a minute!" Ducky promised. Then Ducky looked back at Littlefoot and Ruby and she smiled, "Come join us if you want! If you see Petrie, say hi for me!" And with that, Ducky giggled as she threw the cone back to Cera.

Littlefoot and Ruby looked down at Petrie, and noticed that while he was still shivering, he was also resting his face on his wing, sighing dreamily as he looked at the stream. When he noticed that Littlefoot and Ruby were watching him, his face instantly turned scarlet.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong, Petrie?" Littlefoot asked Petrie. "You seem to be really jumpy with Ducky…"

Petrie answered at first, "No…nothing's wrong…" But then, Petrie abruptly nodded. "You right…it's Ducky! Me… me…" Then Petrie blushed fiercely, burying his head in his wings.

Littlefoot and Ruby then bent down so Petrie could speak softly to them. "What about Ducky, Petrie?" Ruby asked.

Petrie gulped, and then he spat out very quickly, "Me…me love her! Go on, laugh!"

Littlefoot and Ruby looked at each other uneasily. It was unheard of for members of different species to fall in love with each other. Everyone knew that interspecies relationships were forbidden, as they went against all social norms and expectations and violated traditions that had been followed for generations. "We're not laughing, Petrie," Ruby told him consolingly.

"So is this why you've been so nervous lately?" Littlefoot asked gently.

Petrie nodded sadly. "She…she a good friend. But she more than a friend to me. With Ducky, me feel something different. Every time she look at me, or calls my name, me feel… well, dizzy. Me realize… that me love her… and for long time. Petrie… just want to be happy with her. But…"

Petrie gasped and cried out, grabbing onto Littlefoot's leg desperately, "Me can't look at her without feeling all funny inside!"

"Well Petrie, if you feel that way about Ducky, why don't you just talk to her?" Littlefoot gently suggested.

"Petrie can't!" Petrie shouted into Littlefoot's leg. "Petrie too afraid! Ducky would think me being silly. And… we not same species! Mom would never accept it!"

"Calm down, Petrie," Littlefoot told him gently, and then Littlefoot smiled gently at Petrie. "Well, even if your mom doesn't accept it, I don't mind it and you'll always be my friend no matter what."

Petrie looked at Littlefoot hopefully, and said, "You really don't mind?"

"No, not at all," Littlefoot told him. "I want you to be happy, and I hope everything will work out so you will be."

Petrie smiled weakly, before saying, "Just one thing, guys. Promise to keep this a secret?"

Littlefoot and Ruby nodded. "Of course we will, we will of course, Petrie," Ruby told Petrie gently, petting him on the wing.

"It's your choice to let Ducky know of your feelings or not," Littlefoot nodded. "Don't be too nervous, Petrie. Things will turn out okay."

"Thanks, well, me go fly home," Petrie told Littlefoot and Ruby, and he soared into the sky and flew off.

"I better go check on Chomper," Ruby told Littlefoot, and she ran back to the cave. This left Littlefoot alone. Cera, Spike, and Ducky had since left the stream, so Littlefoot decided to go see his grandparents and see what they'd think of all that was going on.

By the time Littlefoot made it back to the main part of the Great Valley, it was dinnertime. Everyone was eating with their families, and Littlefoot knew that Grandma and Grandpa Longneck must be eating with the other longnecks, so he decided to walk over to them.

Littlefoot walked behind the other longnecks to look for his grandparents. But before he could get very far, Ali noticed him. "Hi Littlefoot!" she told him cheerfully. "The tree stars here are delicious. Come and have some!"

Littlefoot nodded appreciatively, and he decided to wait a little bit to see Grandma and Grandpa Longneck to eat and talk with Ali. The two of them spent some time reminiscing about the times that they spent together as they ate, and they shared stories of many of their separate experiences. As they finished eating, Littlefoot remembered that he wanted to talk to his grandparents. He looked to see where his grandparents were, but through all of the longnecks, he couldn't find them anywhere. He then asked Ali, "Hey Ali, have you seen my grandparents? I've got to ask them about something."

Ali gave Littlefoot a small smile. "Yeah, they're lying down over there by the edge," Ali nodded.

"Thanks," Littlefoot told her appreciatively.

"Let's talk again later tonight," Ali suggested to Littlefoot.

"OK," Littlefoot nodded happily.

But just as Littlefoot was about to walk on, he heard two voices call out, "Oh! Hi, cutie neck!" Littlefoot looked up, and saw that Cam and Mia were running towards him. They both were carrying treestars in their mouths, and were smiling flirtatiously at him, trying to get his attention.

"Here comes trouble," Ali whispered as Cam and Mia moved forward, and Littlefoot chuckled nervously.

"You can share this tree star with me!" Cam shouted excitedly as she walked up to Littlefoot and revealed a part of a treestar that she was chewing the other half of. "It would be so…romantic!"

"Cam, you're embarrassing him!" Mia told Littlefoot, but then she showed him an unchewed half of a treestar dangling from her own mouth. "Here, share my tree star!"

Ali replied, "Girls, give Littlefoot a break! He wants to talk to his grandparents right now..."

"But surely he wants dinner with us!" Cam interrupted.

"Uh…thanks for the offer, it's really nice of you, but I've already had dinner. And Ali's right, I've got to talk to my grandparents now," Littlefoot told Mia and Cam politely, avoiding their persistent, excited stares. He then got his chance to turn away from Mia and Cam and walked toward his grandparents. His grandparents were eating relaxedly, lying down and savoring the fresh taste of the evening treestars while taking an occasional drink from the stream. Littlefoot then bent down to his grandparents and asked, "Grandma, Grandpa, can we have a talk?"

"Sure, once we're done eating," Grandpa Longneck answered calmly.

"Why don't you talk to Ali while we finish eating? She'll be delighted to talk," Grandma Longneck suggested.

"No, let me talk with him!" Cam, who was nosing in on the conversation, said excitedly. "I'll tell you all about me! My full name is Camara, but everyone calls me Cam for short. I've been alone for…"

"Now, now, Cam, you're talking too much," Mia told Cam, who instantly waddled back. "It's my turn to talk."

"Mia, Cam, can't you see Littlefoot doesn't feel like talking right now?" Ali asked.

"He always wants to talk with me!" Cam passionately insisted.

"It's nice to talk to you," Littlefoot told them politely, concealing his exasperation. "Maybe we can talk later sometime. But I really would like to talk to my grandparents right now."

He then whispered to Grandma Longneck and Grandpa Longneck, "Can we please talk? Cam and Mia are getting to be… well, a bit on my nerves."

Grandpa Longneck chuckled. "Sure thing, Littlefoot."

And with that, Grandma Longneck, Grandpa Longneck, and Littlefoot stood up and left the watering hole to take a stroll through the Great Valley. Littlefoot sighed happily. He liked the way the evening breeze felt on his neck, the breathtaking views of the Great Valley, and the beautiful setting of the bright circle, but he especially liked to finally have the chance to talk to his grandma and grandpa alone. "Well Littlefoot, what do you want to talk about?" Grandma Longneck asked.

Littlefoot thought about his day's experiences, and he decided to start with Chomper's situation first. "Well...how long can someone go without eating?" Littlefoot asked nervously.

"That's a very curious question," Grandpa Longneck told Littlefoot.

"You aren't thinking about that yourself, are you Littlefoot?" Grandma Longneck asked him concernedly. "Because you're still young, and it's very important for someone of your age to eat. You need to eat to be healthy."

"I know, and don't worry Grandma, I'm eating just fine," Littlefoot told her. "I'm just…curious."

"That's good," Grandma Longneck told Littlefoot. "I can't stress how important it is for you to eat well. Eating is very important for your health."

"Yes," Littlefoot said patiently. "But…how long can one go without eating?" he asked persistently.

"Not that long," Grandma Longneck answered slowly. "I think it might depend on species. We longnecks need a lot of food to survive, but we also have high fat storage, so…maybe we would last a month or two without food...it would all depend on how much we ate beforehand. Why are you asking?"

"Oh, nothing, just curious," Littlefoot fibbed. Then he cleared his throat, and thought of his encounter with Petrie earlier. Then he asked, "What would you think of someone falling in love with…someone who's not in their own species?"

Grandma Longneck began, "Well…if you're talking about different lines of longnecks…I suppose that would be okay."

"Remember Sue? She did that herself," Grandpa Longneck added.

"No I mean, more different than that," Littlefoot explained. "Like say…a longneck with a flyer or something."

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked at each other, completely taken aback. "Why are you asking?" Grandpa Longneck asked. "I hope you're not talking about yourself…because Mr. Threehorn and Ms. Swimmer would never approve, and surely they'd want their daughters to marry someone within their own kind."

"No, it's not me," Littlefoot told Grandpa Longneck. "I've just…heard a funny story," Littlefoot explained quickly, avoiding their eyes. "So? What would you think?"

"Well," Grandma Longneck pondered, "Such an act… well, wouldn't be natural… it wouldn't be the right thing to do. It goes against our way of living, that everyone should find love within their own kind. Friendships between species are fine, but to be lovers…that crosses the line."

Littlefoot nodded slowly, and his heart sank. If even his grandparents were opposed to the idea, he knew that the possibility that Petrie could happily be with Ducky looked very grim.

Then Grandpa Longneck and Grandma Longneck looked at each other and chuckled. Perplexedly, Littlefoot asked, "Grandma, Grandpa… why are you laughing?"

"Oh Littlefoot, this is part of why we love having you as our grandson. You always ask such interesting questions," Grandpa Longneck answered as Grandma Longneck nodded. Then he yawned loudly. "I'm getting tired... I need to get a good night's rest. Good night, Littlefoot."

And with that, Grandpa and Grandma Longneck instantly lay down and snored loudly. Littlefoot, getting the message, walked away, but he felt disappointed, for the answers he got were not the ones that he had hoped for.


	5. Ducky's Desire

Chapter 5: Ducky's Desire

After talking to his grandparents, Littlefoot decided to look for his friends, wanting to talk to them about his day. He soon found Cera, Spike, and Ducky lying down on a hill overlooking a watering hole, with plenty of flowers surrounding them. Littlefoot instantly noticed that Ducky was looking concerned and that Cera was whispering into her ear with a knowing expression on her face. Littlefoot knew that Cera often acted as a big sister to Ducky, and he figured they were discussing one of Ducky's concerns. As Cera continued to whisper into Ducky's ear, Ducky looked over and saw Littlefoot coming. "Hi Littlefoot!" Ducky exclaimed. "Come and join us!"

Littlefoot nodded cheerfully, and he sat next to Cera, who happily smiled at him as she moved her tail over to make room for him, and together, they all looked up at the setting bright circle.

"How are you, Littlefoot?" Cera asked brightly as she rested her head against him.

"I'm doing okay, Cera," Littlefoot replied gently, breathing relaxedly and smiling as he looked at the sky above. He felt a moment of contentment before he noticed that Ducky was still looking concerned.

"Is something bothering you Ducky?" Littlefoot asked.

"Oh, no no no," Ducky told Littlefoot brightly, but Littlefoot noticed she looked away as she answered. He could tell that Ducky didn't want to talk about what was bothering her, so Littlefoot decided to put it to rest.

Cera then quickly stepped in and asked, "So where've you been, Littlefoot?"

"Well…" Littlefoot sighed, and then, he remembered his troubles from earlier. "I went with Ruby to a cave…where we saw Chomper."

"You saw Chomper?" Cera exclaimed, astonished. "Where's he been?"

"I have been missing him, yep yep yep!" Ducky added. "How is he doing?"

"He's hiding in a cave…and he…he's not doing well. He needs… well, bigger food," Littlefoot replied sadly.

Cera and Ducky turned and looked nervously at each other, and Spike stopped eating in alarm. Cera quickly got up and shouted, "We shouldn't have taken him in! I knew this would happen! He's a sharptooth!"

"It would not be good if he eats us, oh no no no!" Ducky cried, also standing up, shaking her head.

"Don't worry guys, he won't be eating us," Littlefoot responded reassuringly as Spike stood up, looking worriedly at Littlefoot.

"Oh sure, maybe he won't today," Cera replied skeptically as she paced. "But when he…"

"Cera, Ducky, Spike, listen!" Littlefoot shouted exasperatedly, and the three of them looked at Littlefoot. Littlefoot cleared his throat and tried again, saying, "Chomper won't be eating us because… he's starving himself!"

Cera's, Ducky's, and Spike's expressions softened as they slowly sat back down. "Poor Chomper… this is not good, it is not," Ducky sighed.

"But how can we help him?" Cera asked concernedly. "We can't force him to eat… and even if he'll eat, we can't go find dinner for him."

"Oh no no no," Ducky sighed sadly. "We would get into lots of trouble with sharpteeth… I do not like sharpteeth, oh no no no."

"Yeah… but we have to do something," Littlefoot answered determinedly. Littlefoot, Cera, and Ducky sat deep in thought, trying to come up with a way to help Chomper. But even though they thought and thought, nobody could come up with anything.

Then, Littlefoot, remembering Petrie's situation, decided to ask Ducky a question. "Hey Ducky… what do you think of well, members of different species falling in love with each other?"

"Littlefoot, are you kidding?" Cera asked, looking at him with a puzzled expression. "No one has ever been in love with someone outside of their own kind!"

"I know…I'm just curious," Littlefoot told Cera, being careful to avoid mentioning Petrie's feelings. Then he looked at Ducky and asked, "Well…what do you think of it, Ducky?"

Ducky looked curiously at Littlefoot, before answering, "Different species? Falling in love? I have not heard of that before either, no, no, no," Ducky explained, while looking down at her toes.

"But what do you think of it?" Littlefoot asked persistently.

"Well… I guess it would be okay," Ducky answered thoughtfully. "But why are you asking, Littlefoot?"

"Just…wondering," Littlefoot said evasively, remembering his promise not to tell Ducky anything.

Cera kept looking at him in that puzzled way before asking, "What do you think of those silly longnecks?"

"They're okay, I guess…" Littlefoot told Cera. "But honestly, they're getting on my nerves. They don't even know me, and they're flirting with me nonstop."

"If they're annoying you, just tell them how you feel," Cera told Littlefoot firmly. "That's what I would do."

"I can't do that," Littlefoot replied. "They're my grandparents' guests, and they're part of Ali's herd. They'd think I'm being rude, and I know Ali and my grandparents would be disappointed with me if I was rude to them."

Cera opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, a voice called out, "Littlefoot!"

"Oh, it's Ali! Got to go… see you soon!" Littlefoot explained, remembering his promise to talk to Ali again, and he ran off. Cera frowned at Littlefoot as he walked over to Ali, who had tinges of pink on her cheeks and was smiling sweetly at him.

"He could've at least waited to hear what I had to say," Cera snarled as Ali greeted Littlefoot by rubbing him on the neck.

"But Cera, Littlefoot did not want to make Ali mad," Ducky told her. "And maybe he did not know you wanted to say something."

"Well, he still shouldn't have just left us like that…talk about being rude," Cera told Ducky stubbornly, and she began to watch Littlefoot's and Ali's forms in the distance walking away towards the setting bright circle.

"Cera?" Ducky asked.

"What?" Cera spat out distractedly, not turning to look at her.

"Have you talked to Petrie today?" Ducky asked.

Cera replied, "Uh…yeah, this morning I think. I was talking with him and Littlefoot while you were out with Spike."

"Ah, okay," Ducky told Cera with a note of crestfallenness in her voice.

Then Cera finally turned to look at Ducky, and gently asked her, "Ducky, do you wanna finish our talk? I was kind of left hanging…I don't even know who you were talking about."

Ducky blushed, looked away from Cera and sighed, "No thanks Cera..."

Just then, Mama Swimmer called out, "Ducky! Spike! Time to come home now!"

"Coming Mama!" Ducky replied back, before she looked back at Cera, who was lying down on top of a nearby rock, resting her head on her front feet. Ducky instantly noticed that Cera's eyes were a little teary and that she was wearing a glum expression. "Well, bye Cera," Ducky told her.

"Bye," Cera sighed listlessly. Ducky began to follow her mother, with Spike tagging along by her side. She then looked back at Cera, who had turned again to face the setting bright circle and was lying on the rock and swatting her tail against it sadly. "Cera is not happy, oh no no no," Ducky told Spike. Spike nodded sadly in agreement.

Then, Ducky sighed, "I am not feeling that happy myself, oh no no no…"

Spike looked concernedly at her, but before Ducky could say another word, the two of them arrived at their home. Ducky and Spike's siblings were chatting to each other happily and frolicking playfully nearby. They did not seem to notice Ducky or Spike at all as they continued to giggle and play with each other. Mama Swimmer had stopped by some tall grasses and was waiting for Ducky and Spike.

"Here Ducky, Spike, come take a bath," Mama Swimmer suggested as they approached, pulling aside the tall grasses and revealing their family's small pond, which was brightly lit by the twilight moon. "The water's nice and cool."

"Thanks Mama," Ducky answered unenthusiastically, and she slowly entered the pond, with Spike sitting by her side at the pond's edge, watching her sadly.

"Is anything wrong Ducky?" Mama Swimmer asked.

"No, not really… I just am kind of blue tonight," Ducky told her mother.

"Well, just sit in the water and let your troubles wash away," Mama Swimmer suggested, and then she yawned. "Good night, Ducky."

"Good night Mama," Ducky sighed. Mama Swimmer then walked off to watch the other children, leaving Ducky and Spike alone together. Ducky sat in the pond for a while, mildly enjoying the cool water tickle her body. But she still was not happy, and as she looked at her sad reflection, she knew she couldn't follow her mother's advice and she began to think about how she was feeling again.

"Spike, I miss Petrie…maybe Cera's right on how I feel," Ducky told him sadly. Spike looked perplexedly at Ducky, while Ducky stretched her body out in the water and looked at the stars. "But why is he not talking to me? He has hardly talked to me at all recently. But he is talking to Littlefoot and Cera just like normal. I wonder why, and I do not like it, oh no no no. I do not know…am I doing anything wrong, Spike?"

Spike, who was eating a swamp stick, shrugged as he looked at Ducky.

"I am sorry to bother you Spike," Ducky told him gently. "Just…you are my brother, and I do not feel comfortable with talking to anyone else that I feel this way towards him."

She then looked at Spike, smiled at him, and told him, "Thanks for listening Spike. You are a good listener. I am glad to have a nice brother like you, I am." Then she shut her eyes, smiled, reached out, and hugged Spike tightly, who hugged her back. Spike's tummy then growled. "Oh, you are hungry Spike, you are. Go ahead and have some treestars," Ducky yawned. Ducky then stared up at the stars, and told herself, "_I will talk to Petrie soon…yep yep yep"_. With that thought, Ducky smiled to herself, curled up in her pond, and she fell into a comfortable slumber.


	6. Cera's Busy Night

Chapter 6: Cera's Busy Night

With Littlefoot out to see Ali and with Ducky and Spike going back home, Cera was left alone on top of the hill. She sighed sadly, wishing that she could have some company. However, she knew that she couldn't go home yet since her father and her stepmother Tria were spending a romantic evening together and she knew that they wouldn't want to be interrupted.

The wind began to blow violently, causing tree stars to fall off of the trees. Cera tried falling asleep, but her mind continued to race. She felt a steady stream of unhappy emotions course through her. Cera knew she was frustrated with Littlefoot for going off to see Ali before she finished talking, but she didn't think that was what was bothering her now. _"Well, if I'm upset, I might as well take a walk…maybe that'll make me feel better," _she thought_. _

Cera got off her rock and began to walk just as the night chirpers began to chirp on the plants. She walked slowly down the hill, trying to figure out why she was so upset. But then, she heard a familiar voice that made her stop in her tracks.

"My time is coming to a close. I'm growing old, sweetheart...and I want to make sure that Littlefoot will be all right." Cera turned to look and saw that Littlefoot's grandmother was talking to Littlefoot's grandfather restlessly. Cera felt a strange urge to listen in on their conversation, and she quickly hunkered down in some nearby bushes, where she could be in perfect earshot.

Grandpa Longneck nodded and added, "I'd only give myself a few weeks to live…but I too want to make sure that Littlefoot has settled down. When it's time for me to go to the place above the bright circle, I would like to leave knowing that Littlefoot has a loving wife."

Cera instantly felt a tinge of discomfort. While she understood that Littlefoot's grandparents wanted the best for him, she also couldn't help feeling that it sounded like they were trying to take control of his life. As the latter thought occurred to Cera, she began to feel a bubbling goo sensation forming in her stomach. She felt her mouth silently growling as she continued to listen to every word that Littlefoot's grandparents said.

"I don't know who we should marry him to though," Grandpa Longneck told Grandma Longneck. "I've always thought that he would have fallen in love with Ali by now, but he's…growing up a little slower than I thought he would. Ali seems interested in him though, this is the third time they've been together tonight. Maybe they're finally beginning to date."

Grandma Longneck added, "We can always hope… but I don't know. I talked with Ali's mother and she's not comfortable with Ali being with a longneck like him. I mean, she knows Littlefoot's a nice longneck, and she knows he'd be a loving husband to Ali, but she's very concerned that his love of adventuring would put Ali in danger. Assuming Ali's mother won't change her mind, we may have to betroth him to someone else. Maybe Cam or Mia would do. They're just Littlefoot's age, they don't have any parents that would try to stop a possible marriage, and I could tell they would both love to be Littlefoot's wife."

"Have you seen those two though?" Grandpa Longneck sighed exasperatedly, shaking his head. "Littlefoot is annoyed with them already, and I can't say I blame him. They're not being at all subtle about this."

"Well, at least they like him," Grandma Longneck told Grandpa Longneck.

"Like him? Of course they like him! But I know Littlefoot won't be happy with either of them if they don't stop acting like this," Grandpa Longneck sighed.

Grandma Longneck nodded in agreement, and then she sighed, "I guess you're right…they're not perfect, but they might be our only choices…can you think of someone else if Ali won't work out?"

"No," Grandpa Longneck sighed. "You're right…we might just be stuck choosing between them if we can't find anyone else."

Grandma Longneck sighed, and she looked at Grandpa Longneck sadly. "I just wish that we'd be able to quickly find a girl for him. Then he can go and happily join the rest of our kind. After all, once we go, he'd be the only longneck living in the Great Valley, and we can't let that happen. Who would be able to support him and show him how to do things adult longnecks should learn?"

"What about his friends here?" Grandpa Longneck asked worriedly. "Littlefoot will miss them very much."

"I don't know if the valley can accommodate a full-sized herd of longnecks," Grandma Longneck told Grandpa Longneck sadly. "And besides, most herds won't like being in an interspecies environment. It will be hard for Littlefoot to leave his friends…but he can always make new friends in his new herd."

"You're right…I guess Littlefoot will just have to say goodbye to them then," Grandpa Longneck sighed.

Cera had heard enough. The bubbling goo sensation in her stomach intensified to the point where she was seething with rage. Crawling out of her bushes, Cera aimlessly walked off as she thought about everything Littlefoot's grandparents had said. Littlefoot was going to have to leave the Great Valley, she would never be able to see him again, and he might be forced into an arranged marriage with someone that he didn't even like! These thoughts made the bubbling goo in Cera's stomach churn with rage. "Aaaarrgh!" Cera shouted furiously, and with great intensity, she rammed into a boulder with her horns. She continued to wander, fuming every second while her heart beat rapidly. Nobody noticed her because nearly everyone was asleep. But then, Cera heard an argument nearby. She turned and saw that Mia and Cam were jostling by a tall pile of rocks. Intrigued, Cera walked closer to them, and once again, she hid behind some bushes to listen in.

"He's mine!" Cam shouted, glaring at Mia.

"No Cam, he's mine!" Mia shouted back. "I'm the prettier one. I get him!"

The two longnecks were staring at each other determinedly. "Look, I want him. He's known as a hero, and I want to share some of that glory," Mia shouted.

"Well, I want him! He's cute and handsome and he has those nice eyes!" Cam shouted back.

Hearing this shallow argument made Cera's blood boil, and she could not control her anger any longer. Barreling out of the bushes, Cera hurled herself in between the two longnecks, glaring at each of them in turn, causing them to recoil with shock. With fury, Cera screamed at the top of her lungs, "How dare you act like Littlefoot is just a prize for you two to argue over! He has feelings too, and you don't care at all, you flatheads!"

Cam and Mia looked at each other, and smirked. "Ooh! I think somebody's jealous!" Cam giggled excitedly.

"Oh, this is pathetic, a pointy-face is in love with a longneck!" Mia sneered, and the two longnecks began to laugh maniacally.

"I'm NOT in love with him!" Cera shouted, stomping her foot. "But Littlefoot is my friend and it makes me sick that he might have to marry one of you two because of an arranged marriage!"

"I hope you'll have fun at the wedding," Cam smirked.

"We'll see if you lose a horn from watching the kiss!" Mia laughed and tauntingly added, "See you later, pointy-face!"

And with that, Cam and Mia took off, laughing their heads off, leaving Cera behind, seething and growling at their shadows. It took Cera a while to get her breath back. Once she finally did, Cera didn't even bother trying to fall asleep even though it was late at night. Instead, she rammed into some nearby boulders, with angry thoughts still rolling rapidly through her head. _"How could Littlefoot be forced to leave the Great Valley and never see us again in order to marry one of those two stupid, selfish flatheads?"_ she thought. Cera screamed with fury again, and then she rammed into a boulder with even more vigor than usual, causing it to shatter in hundreds of shards.

Cera continued to ram into any boulders she could find for a few more hours, and she probably would have kept on going had it not been for a tap she felt on her back leg. She turned and saw that Spike was tapping on her, and he was staring at her with very wide eyes.

"Aarrghh…what is it, Spike?" Cera yelled.

Spike looked very worried, and he instantly beckoned for Cera to follow. She followed, not sure where he would lead her to. _"Probably just more treestars," _Cera thought to herself. Little did she know, however, that Spike was thinking of something completely unrelated to food.


	7. The Late-Night Attack

Chapter 7: The Late-Night Attack

Spike had a disturbed look in his eyes that Cera had never seen before. He looked thoroughly out of breath, and opened his mouth almost as if to speak, but no words came out. He then turned and abruptly, proceeded to run at breakneck speed.

"Spike! Wait up!" Cera cried. She ran after him, struggling to breathe as she desperately tried to keep up with him, when…

"Ouch!" Cera shouted, for she had just collided into something, bounced off it and she hit the ground with a painful thud. "What is this stupid log…" she began. Then the thing she rammed into moved slightly, and she looked up and realized that she had crashed right into Littlefoot's leg.

"Cera, you've got to be careful… what are you in such a hurry for?" Littlefoot asked, looking down at her with concern.

"It's Spike," Cera explained hurriedly. "I'm following him. He's acting weird."

"Let me see if I can find him," Littlefoot told Cera, and he stretched his neck out to look.

"If you hadn't bumped into me, I wouldn't have lost him," Cera told Littlefoot irritably, but Littlefoot was so used to Cera's grumbling that he wasn't bothered. "I found him! He's running straight to the forest near the edge of the Great Valley!" he exclaimed.

Then Littlefoot and Cera heard footsteps behind them. They looked, and saw Ducky panting up to them, with a look of horror in her eyes. "Littlefoot! Cera! Have you seen Spike? He is not at home, no no no!"

"We're following him right now," Littlefoot told Ducky, who stopped to catch her breath. "Come on!" And without another moment's rest, the three of them hurried off to find Spike.

"Why would Spike be going this way?" Ducky asked frantically.

"We don't know," Cera answered as they charged through the forest, pushing any tree that got in their way. "I think he wants to show us something though. He just got my attention and then he ran off!"

"Look! There he is!" Littlefoot gasped as they reached the edge of the forest. Littlefoot, Cera, and Ducky stopped, and saw Spike stop at a small clearing at the edge of the Great Valley, surrounded by the cliffs that led to the Mysterious Beyond. He was looking attentively at a spot on the ground. Spike however then took a look back at the forest and saw Littlefoot, Cera, and Ducky. Hurriedly, Spike lifted his foot up and beckoned them over.

"What is it, Spike?" Littlefoot asked concernedly as he, Cera, and Ducky finally stopped and took the chance to catch their breath.

Spike looked at the three of them, then he stretched out his neck, bared his teeth and stomped on the ground, causing some rocks to shake and creating a loud bang. Then he indicated to a spot on the ground, where Littlefoot, Cera and Ducky saw some funny markings, and upon closer inspection, they noticed that these markings were everywhere, scattered through the area.

"Look! Footprints!" Cera gasped. Then she pointed to a path of footprints and added, "And it looks like…they've gone to the Mysterious Beyond!"

"Oh no no no, those are sharptooth footprints!" Ducky gasped.

Littlefoot gulped nervously. He knew Ducky was right, for the footprints strongly resembled the mark of a sharptooth.

"But…they're too little to be a sharptooth's…oh no…" he sighed, as a feeling of cold dread drenched over him.

"They must be Chomper's! He must have left the Great Valley!" Cera gasped. Then she growled, "Let's hope he hasn't had a midnight snack."

"Cera, Chomper won't eat anyone!" Littlefoot cried out.

"Grow up! He's a sharptooth," Cera responded fiercely.

Just then, they noticed that Petrie was flying towards them. He flapped his wings frantically, staring down at the others with terror, and then he swooped down in front of them.

"Petrie, what's the matter?" Ducky asked concernedly.

Petrie gulped before shouting, "Chh...Chomper's on the loose!"

"Oh no!" Littlefoot shouted, his heart racing dramatically. "We better go back right now!" And without another word, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike began to charge back to the center of the valley.

"He hasn't eaten anyone yet, has he?" Cera asked nervously.

"No. He just leave cave," Petrie explained.

"You're sure about that?" Littlefoot asked Petrie worriedly.

"Positive, Petrie saw him. But he move funny," Petrie sighed as they headed closer to the middle of the Great Valley. When they arrived there, all they could hear was the snores of the grownups, all of whom seemed to be in a very deep sleep. Everyone scanned the area for a couple seconds, but they couldn't see any sign of Chomper anywhere. The group listened and looked for a while, and while they heard some rustling in the bushes, they didn't notice anything else besides everyone else sleeping.

"I do not see him yet, do you?" Ducky asked nervously, and everyone else shook their heads.

But then, a blood-curdling shriek came out from nearby where they were standing. "Ohhh…..help!" a voice screamed out.

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike gasped, and their hearts all began to race. "We're coming!" Littlefoot shouted, and the group rushed over to the voice. Then they looked down and saw who was screaming.

Mia was lying on the ground, squirming with desperation. The bottom of her very long neck was coated with a thick coat of blood. She was squealing loudly, but nobody woke up, since her shouts were covered up by the sound of snoring.

"What happened Mia?" Littlefoot asked.

"Thank goodness! Someone finally found me! It bit me! That sharptooth bit me!" Mia shouted.

Cera nodded nervously, before she gasped, "He's here!"

Littlefoot looked up, and saw Chomper was slowly stumbling over from the direction of the cave that he was hiding in, and with each passing second, he drew closer and closer to the group.

Petrie flew up to Chomper's face, and desperately yelled, "Don't eat Mia!"

"You cannot eat her, oh no, no, no!" Ducky shouted. Chomper, however did not respond. He continued to stagger over to them with a vacant expression on his face. "He not hear me! And his eyes closed!" Petrie gasped. Chomper drew nearer and nearer to Mia, until he was a few feet away from her. As he stopped, Chomper sniffed ravenously, licked his lips, and then began to stick his tongue out as he growled hungrily. Mia screamed and squirmed as Chomper slowly began to lower his head. Desperately, Littlefoot hurled himself over Mia's body and shouted, "Chomper, stop it!"

Then abruptly, Chomper opened his eyes. He looked at his surroundings, frowning confusedly. "Huh? Where am I?" Chomper asked as he drew his head away from Mia's body and stood up, looking astonished.

"Don't pretend like you don't know!" Mia shouted, glaring at Chomper fiercely. "You were about to eat me! You bit my neck!"

"No…I couldn't have… I was hiding between those boulders in the cave!" Chomper cried out, tears rolling down his face. "How did I get here?"

Littlefoot looked at Chomper's wide, terrified eyes, and he shook his head and sighed. "Come on Chomper," Littlefoot said as calmly as he could. "We have to talk."

"Kill that monster while you can!" Mia shouted. But Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Spike and Petrie ignored her and began to walk through the forest toward the cliff. Chomper sobbed as Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike escorted him through the forest, while Petrie looked back to make sure nobody was following them.

In a few minutes, they were back at the clearing where they met Spike. "You must have sleepwalked, Chomper," Littlefoot explained nervously.

"I don't remember doing it, honest!" Chomper gasped desperately. "I was having a sleep story…I smelled something good in my sleep…uh oh... and then you guys woke me up! I don't understand how I got out here! I thought for sure I fell asleep in the cave!"

Littlefoot then told Chomper, "Look, whether you did it or not, everyone else is going to think you bit Mia on the neck! The only thing you can do now is get away!"

"Wait!" came a voice behind them. Ruby was out of breath, trying to catch up with everyone else. "Chomper didn't do it, I'm sure of it! He was in the cave with me just a few minutes ago!"

"And look," Ducky pointed out. "Those footprints have already gone into the Mysterious Beyond!"

"I need to know whether I bit Mia or not!" Chomper asked fearfully.

"Me have an idea," Petrie suggested. "If you bit anything, there would be…" he gulped nervously and spat out, "Skin and blood and scary breath in your mouth. If you didn't, then there wouldn't be any."

Everyone agreed that it was a good way to check. "Chomper, open your mouth," Littlefoot told him seriously. Hesitantly, Chomper opened his mouth, and with all of his determination, he focused on keeping his mouth wide open despite the aches his jaw felt. Nervously, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ruby carefully peered inside Chomper's mouth, trying all the while not to get too close to his teeth.

"I don't see anything at all," Ducky told Chomper after closely examining his teeth.

"I don't smell anything either," Ruby commented. "Chomper… you must not have eaten anything after all!"

"So…I really didn't do it?" Chomper asked hopefully.

"We don't think so Chomper," Littlefoot told him. "Your mouth shows no signs of having eaten recently, and besides, those footprints were already there before you left your cave!"

"But you still have to escape," Cera told him. "We know you couldn't have done it, but everyone else will think you did." She thought for a moment before saying, "Hey…you could use a log to escape!"

"Good idea, Cera!" Ducky exclaimed. Cera and Spike then worked together to chop down a thick oak tree with her horns and his spikes, and before long, the thick log fell down in front of them, ready to be used.

"Climb up this log onto the cliff," Cera told Chomper. "Then you can get to the Mysterious Beyond. Find a good hiding spot if you can, because the grownups might try to find you."

Chomper nodded sadly. Ducky, Spike, Ruby and Cera kept watch while Littlefoot stuck his neck under the side of the log closest to the cliff, holding it up, while Petrie flew up to the cliff and kept the top of the log in place. "It's all ready, Chomper. Now go!" Littlefoot told him.

Chomper slowly began to climb up the log, softly sniffling as he climbed. Ruby sighed, "I think I better go along too. Someone has got to keep a lookout for him when he's asleep, and besides, he needs company."

"Right," Littlefoot nodded nervously. But then, everyone gasped as the light of the bright circle began to shine down on the Great Valley. "Hurry! The grownups will wake up soon!" Littlefoot shouted.

Chomper and Ruby nodded, and with that, they managed to climb to the top of the log. Petrie flew down from his perch on top to allow Chomper and Ruby to step on the cliff. Chomper stared at his friends for a few seconds, and a tear fell out of his eye as he cried, "You guys were such great friends… thank you…I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused…and I'll miss you all so much. Well, bye everyone…" and he waved weakly. Dejectedly, Chomper hung his head, and he and Ruby left the Great Valley to go back to the Mysterious Beyond.

"Me fly up and block them from view," Petrie told the others hurriedly, flapping in place to block the place that they were standing until Chomper and Ruby were out of sight.

"Come on," Littlefoot hurriedly told the others. "We have to get rid of that log before the grownups find it!"

"It is already gone, look!" Ducky cheered. Everyone looked, and saw that Spike was already eating the log at a rapid pace as he smiled, thoroughly enjoying his treat.

"Yay! It is gone, it is! Good job Spike, yep yep yep!" Ducky cheered, jumping up and down and then hugging Spike as he finished, who smiled as he rubbed his head against her.

"What's gone?" came a familiar voice. The kids looked, and their hearts plummeted. Mr. Threehorn was standing right in front of them, scowling at them threateningly.


	8. The Price to be Paid

Chapter 8: The Price to Be Paid

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike looked nervously at each other as Mr. Threehorn leered at them with a threatening expression. Soon, many of the other grownups had arrived at the scene, including Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Mama Swimmer, Mama Flyer, Mr. Clubtail, Mrs. Clubtail, Mrs. Clubtail's sister and her husband, and many of the longnecks in Ali's herd. The kids stared at each other nervously as Mr. Threehorn asked again, "What's gone?"

"Nothing's gone," Littlefoot told the grownups nervously.

"A likely story," Mr. Threehorn growled.

"Oh yeah? What about our eggs then?" Mr. Clubtail growled.

"Eggs?" Littlefoot asked confusedly.

"Our eggs and my sister's have all disappeared from our nest," Mrs. Clubtail cried out, and at that moment, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike were subjected to many glares, murmurs, and growls from the crowd.

"Now, now, calm down everyone, we should at least offer the children a chance to explain," Grandpa Longneck told the crowd. The crowd slowly quieted down before Grandpa Longneck asked, "So… why are you all here in this odd corner at the crack of dawn?"'

"We were… just eating treestars, yep yep yep," Ducky told the grownups nervously. "Spike ate the big tree that was stopping the little trees from growing, he did."

"That's funny," Grandma Longneck replied. "Because I don't know of any little trees growing right here, do any of you?" she asked the crowd. Nobody nodded, and the crowd began to murmur skeptically again.

"Cera! I am your father and I demand the truth!" Mr. Threehorn bellowed, stomping the ground aggressively, while the others in the crowd jeered.

Under the furious glare from her father, Cera couldn't help but to shake. She began to answer, "We…we were…"

"Helping out a murderer," came a voice from the forest. Everyone looked behind them, and they saw Cam walking in with a somber expression on her face. She was carrying Mia, who was lying draped over Cam's back.

"It bit me!" Mia yelled. "That blue sharptooth! It bit me and gave me this injury on my neck!"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike looked at each other, aghast.

"She's lying!" Littlefoot yelled out passionately.

"And how would you know that, Littlefoot?" Grandpa Longneck questioned him.

"Well, I…" Littlefoot began, but then he stopped and swallowed. Telling the full story would involve letting the grownups know how Chomper escaped.

"If they won't tell, I will," Mia interrupted with malice. "I was eating some tree stars peacefully when I saw this enormous sharptooth raiding the clubtails' nests and eating their eggs. I told it to stop, and it responded by charging at me and gnashing its teeth aggressively. I called out for help, and Cam rushed over to my side. By then though, the sharptooth knocked me down and gave me a bite on the neck. But when Cam came, she chased it away, and the sharptooth retreated back to its cave. Cam then went back to sleep, and I tried to fall asleep too, but I couldn't. I knew now that there was great evil that lay within the Great Valley, and I knew that it would undoubtedly try to strike again. I was proven right, for the sharptooth came back down to try and finish me off. It nearly took another bite out of my neck, before it was stopped by those kids. They convinced the sharptooth that it would have to leave the Great Valley. Then I asked them to kill the sharptooth because I knew it would be a threat to everyone, but they didn't listen to me. Instead, they led the sharptooth in a direction that led right to this very clearing. If you ask me, they helped the sharptooth escape."

"Is this true?" Grandma Longneck asked seriously. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie remained silent, not knowing how to counter her. Mia smirked with triumph.

Mama Swimmer then suggested, "Perhaps we should ask Spike to tell us what happened. Spike, can you tell us?" she asked gently.

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie looked nervously at Spike, hoping that everyone would understand his nonverbal communication correctly. Spike nodded, and he walked over to the adults. He made the same gesture pattern that he did before, stretching out his neck, baring his teeth and pounding the ground.

"See!" Mia gasped. "He's admitting it! The sharptooth bit my neck! And it ate all of the Clubtails' eggs!"

"That is not what he is trying to say, no, no, no!" Ducky gasped. "I know my brother!"

"She's just making this up!" Cera shouted, glaring at Mia. "We saw inside Chomper's mouth, and saw that there was no sign of blood or flesh or egg shells at all!"

"And look at those footprints!" Littlefoot desperately added. "We saw them before we heard Mia scream!"

"Prove it!" Mia spat out. "What evidence do you have, your word?"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike looked at each other sadly, not knowing how to respond. Mia smiled with a triumphant leer. "See? Case closed. That sharptooth bit me and ate the clubtails' eggs. Now it's time to punish its accomplices!"

There was an outcry of furious, determined cheers with Mia's suggestion. "We need to make them pay for helping the sharptooth steal our eggs!" Mrs. Clubtail's sister shouted angrily.

One of the longnecks from Ali's herd shouted, "Exile the co-conspirators!"

Grandpa and Grandma Longneck, Mama Swimmer, Mr. Threehorn, and Mama Flyer looked nervously at each other. They really didn't want to exile their children from the Great Valley, but the longneck herd and the clubtails looked expectantly at them, and began to chant, "Exile! Exile!"

"No!" came a voice behind the grownups. The grownups looked behind them and in a couple of seconds, Ali hurried forward and hurled herself in between Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike and the crowd. "You can't exile Littlefoot and his friends! Even if they did help the sharptooth out, they would've only done it out of good intentions! They were wrong, but they just wanted to help their friend out! Please, everyone! Think of all that Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike did that was good for the Great Valley! Without them, the evil sharptooth that attacked your herds on the journey here would not have been defeated! And without Littlefoot's initiative and all of their help, I wouldn't have gotten the night flowers, and you wouldn't be here today, Mr. Longneck!"

Ali's herd and the clubtails quieted down after Ali's words, and the parents looked relieved. They began to whisper to each other, before nodding and coming to an agreement. Grandpa Longneck declared, "So we have come to a decision. The children are still only children, and we know they wouldn't have done what they did without good intentions. So we shall allow them to stay."

At once, howls of rage came from the crowd. Mrs. Clubtail's brother-in-law shouted, "How would you like it if your kids were eaten?"

"How dare you let them off so easily! You wouldn't if it was someone from your valley!" a longneck from Ali's herd cried out, causing most of the rest of her herd to murmur angrily in agreement. "We want to see some punishment!"

"However," Grandpa Longneck continued, speaking over the cries of the protesters. "We're ashamed of our children's behavior, so we've decided to ground them…indefinitely!"

"From now on, our children cannot make any contact with each other or else they will be subject to an even greater punishment!" Mr. Threehorn yelled, to ravenous jeering from the crowd. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike gasped and looked at each other, with the same expression of horror on all of their their faces.

"Meanwhile, we will form a search party to track down that sharptooth and bring it to justice!" the Old One shouted, causing many loud cheers to erupt from the crowd. By now, everyone in the Great Valley, having heard the commotion, had arrived on the scene. "Our herd will lead the charge to find that sharptooth and we will make sure that it regrets ever daring to take a bite out of one of us!"

Mama Swimmer added, "All of us parents will be watching over the children to make sure they don't get into any more trouble and follow the new rules."

The Old One then declared, "So everything is settled then. Parents, Cam, Mia, stay here and keep an eye on those overgrown eggs."

"What about Tricia?" Tria asked, who had just arrived in with Tricia by her side.

The Old One nodded, saying, "The youngest ones can stay here with their parents. The rest of you, follow us and we will take care of that sharptooth."

"Wait!" Ali asked. "Can I stay behind?"

"Yes, you can," Grandma and Grandpa Longneck quickly answered.

The Old One and Ali's mother frowned, before they turned and joined the rest of their herd and the Great Valley residents in heading out to hunt for Chomper. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike looked at each other and saw the same expressions of sadness and fear on each other's faces. They all desperately wanted to talk to each other, but they knew they couldn't with all of the parents staring angrily at them.

"Come Cera," Mr. Threehorn growled.

"Littlefoot, follow us," Grandpa Longneck added.

"Ducky, come follow me," Mama Swimmer said firmly. "As for you Spike, you're going to have to go with Cam and Mia."

"But no Mama! He is my brother!" Ducky cried desperately.

"I'm sorry Ducky, but you and Spike can't be trusted together until we get this whole thing resolved," Mama Swimmer sternly insisted, though Littlefoot could not help but to notice that a tear fell from her eye as she spoke.

"Petrie, come with me," Mama Flyer finished with that stern tone, and with tears in their eyes, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike took one last look at each other before they went off their separate ways.


	9. The Secret Ally

Chapter 9- The Secret Ally

Littlefoot hung his head as he followed his grandparents away from the edge of the Great Valley and from the place where he last saw his friends. The three of them passed through the forest that Littlefoot and his friends had helped Chomper go through just a few hours ago, and then they walked through the abandoned Great Valley. Littlefoot tried to get his grandparents' attention, smiling weakly up at them. However, both of his grandparents didn't look back at him, and Littlefoot noticed that they both looked very solemn and serious. The three of them stopped at an empty clearing by a stream. Littlefoot sat down, lifted his head and scanned the area, hoping to catch a glance of Cera, Ducky, Petrie or Spike. But to his disappointment, he couldn't see any of them. Littlefoot realized then that the grownups must have really meant it when they sentenced him and his friends to complete isolation.

"Littlefoot," Grandpa Longneck told him gently. "We need to talk."

Littlefoot sighed as he gave Grandma and Grandpa Longneck a tearful look.

"We know that you meant well," Grandpa Longneck told Littlefoot gently, as Grandma Longneck gently caressed his neck with hers, "And that you only wanted to help a friend… but by helping that sharptooth…"

"He is not that sharptooth! His name is Chomper! He's my friend!" Littlefoot burst out, glaring at his grandparents.

"You've got to understand Littlefoot, that a sharptooth is first and foremost a sharptooth," Grandma Longneck replied firmly. "We're sorry Littlefoot… he might have been all right as a child. But now that he's growing up, he has become every bit as cold and heartless as any other sharptooth."

"He has not!" Littlefoot cried out, tears rolling down his distressed face. "None of you grownups get it, do you? For his whole life, Chomper has been misunderstood by everyone who meets him! He's always dealt with fear and mistrust from others but through all this time he's proven that he's not like other sharpteeth! Just because others of his kind eat us doesn't mean…"

"Littlefoot, we don't want any more incidents like that of your mother, do we?" Grandpa Longneck asked seriously.

"Your mother died saving you from a sharptooth," Grandma Longneck reminded him. "It would be a poor way to repay her sacrifice by helping a murderous sharptooth escape from justice."

"He's not a murderer!" Littlefoot yelled out. "It must have been another sharptooth who attacked Mia! We saw footprints leaving the Great Valley while Chomper was still in the cave!"

"But we do not know that," Grandpa Longneck sighed. "Mia claims that your friend bit her, and since she was the one who was attacked, we have to take her for her word."

Littlefoot sat silently, and tears came running down his cheek. "I…I can't stand this anymore," he cried, and at once, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck bent down, each of them licking one of his cheeks.

"There there Littlefoot, you didn't mean to cause any harm," Grandma Longneck sighed.

"But all of you grownups do," Littlefoot replied angrily. Littlefoot's grandparents looked uneasily at each other, neither of them choosing to respond.

"Psst…" came a voice from nearby. Littlefoot and his grandparents looked up, and they saw that Ali was walking over to them.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Longneck," Ali told them courteously. "I hope I'm not bothering you. It's just…this situation must be really hard for Littlefoot… can I take a walk with him?"

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked at each other, each feeling the same conflicting emotions. On one hand, they didn't want Littlefoot to leave their sight, and were afraid that Littlefoot would try to see his friends if Ali gave him the chance. But on the other hand, they hoped that being with Ali would make Littlefoot feel better, and they wanted the two of them to spend some time together. "Oh, all right then. But don't keep him out too long," Grandma Longneck answered gently as Grandpa Longneck nodded in agreement.

Littlefoot got up and walked over to Ali, who happily rubbed her head against his, and she smiled brightly as she shut her eyes. Littlefoot turned, and he noticed that Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were beaming at them.

"Come on Littlefoot, let's have a talk," Ali told him gently, and the two longnecks began to walk off. Littlefoot nodded appreciatively, eager for the chance to talk with a close friend and also for the chance to catch a glimpse of Cera, Ducky, Petrie, or Spike.

"Littlefoot, I'm really sorry about all of this…" Ali told Littlefoot kindly.

Littlefoot nodded sadly. "No one believes us…and everyone believes Mia…even my grandparents," Littlefoot sighed as he looked back at them. To his surprise, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were still watching him, and to his even greater surprise, they were still smiling broadly at him. Littlefoot felt a bit uncomfortable, for he was not sure if he had ever seen them smiling quite in that way before. "Why are they smiling at me like that?" Littlefoot asked Ali.

"I think…it's because you're with me," Ali told Littlefoot gently. "You see, they want us to be a couple. I overheard my mother and your grandparents talking about it. Your grandparents seem to really like the idea, but my mother doesn't feel fully comfortable with me marrying you." Then she paused, looked deep into his eyes and asked, "What would you think? Of being my husband?"

"Oh, uh…I don't know…" Littlefoot replied, taken aback. "I haven't really thought about it much. I mean, I really like you Ali, but... I'm not entirely sure yet..."

Ali nodded. "I'm not really sure either, Littlefoot…you're really special to me, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to marry anyone yet. Regardless of how I feel, you should take your time before making a decision. I don't want you to rush into a decision that would affect you for the rest of your life. And don't worry yourself about it too much. No matter if you love me or you don't, you'll always be a great friend."

"Thanks Ali," Littlefoot told Ali. "You'll always be a great friend of mine too. And I also feel that way about Chomper."

Ali sighed and shook her head. "You really like that sharptooth, don't you?" she asked Littlefoot concernedly.

"Yes, I do… and please call him Chomper," Littlefoot told Ali.

Ali rolled her eyes, sighed softly with exasperation and asked, "Littlefoot, do you know what he is?"

"I know…but he's still my friend, and I miss him and my other friends badly," Littlefoot told Ali sadly.

"Littlefoot, I want to believe you on this…but I can't!" Ali exclaimed, her eyes wide. "I mean, he's a sharptooth! Do you know why Rhett is not with us anymore?"

"Why?" Littlefoot asked, though he thought he already knew the answer.

"He was killed by a ravaging giant sharptooth…a sharptooth that looked very much like your so-called friend," Ali told Littlefoot passionately.

Littlefoot frowned sadly, "But Ali, Chomper is different!"

"Sharpteeth are sharpteeth!" Ali said indignantly. Then she sighed and exasperately asked, "Littlefoot, don't you understand? His kind naturally eats leaf eaters like us! And Mia claims he bit her. I can't imagine that she would lie, she's been in our herd for a while now and she's always been trustworthy. And besides, why would she say he bit her if he didn't?"

"I don't know why Mia made this up," Littlefoot answered. "But I trust my friends completely, and I trust Chomper just as much as I trust my other friends. And Ali… you were hesitant about being friends with Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike when you first met them, remember?"

"Well, that's true, but… they're all leaf-eaters… and he's still a sharptooth!" Ali told Littlefoot nervously. "A sharptooth, Littlefoot! Sharpteeth have attacked and killed members of our herd all the time, and we've never seen a sharptooth that wasn't a bloodthirsty, ravenous monster! And I can't see why your supposed friend would be any different!"

"Maybe he is a sharptooth," Littlefoot admitted. "But don't you remember him from when you met him before? He may look different now, but he still has that same gentle heart inside. He's not like any other sharptooth I met. He's so worried about accidentally attacking us that he's been starving himself in order to make sure that wouldn't happen. He's willing to give his whole life up for us to be able to survive. Ali, I've known Chomper for his whole life, and I've seen him being suspected over and over again but through all this time, he's always remained on our side. So, please Ali, trust me on this!"

Ali looked at the ground, deep in thought. She sat and remained silent for a long time, thinking deeply about all of her experiences with sharpteeth…remembering the cries of terror from her herd every time a sharptooth attack happened, the moments of mourning that regularly accompanied them, and the grief she felt when she saw Rhett lying lifelessly on the ground. But she also saw how passionately Littlefoot trusted Chomper, and then she remembered the time when she met Chomper herself, and how surprisingly friendly he was for a sharptooth. But just when she was putting all of her thoughts together, she remembered Chomper's voice from long, long ago, crying, 'Please…don't hurt me.' At last, she looked up at Littlefoot and whispered, "I…I'm not completely sure about this, but… I trust you Littlefoot."

"Thanks Ali," Littlefoot told her gratefully, his heart rising a little. He then asked Ali, "Ali, I'm sorry to ask, but... could you please help me out with something?"

Ali smiled and replied, "Sure Littlefoot…what is it?"

Littlefoot sighed and asked, "Well… can you tell Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike that… we need to leave the Great Valley?"


	10. Planning and Plotting

Chapter 10: Planning and Plotting

Ali shook her head with Littlefoot's suggestion, hardly daring to believe his words. After a few seconds, she finally gasped, "Littlefoot, are you crazy? After I convinced everyone to let you stay here…you're just going to throw yourselves out there? This is dangerous!"

"But we have to," Littlefoot told Ali passionately. "We really need to help Chomper out... but we can't do anything without your help. I can't tell my other friends about the plan…and you're the only one who can. So…could you please help us out?"

"I don't know, Littlefoot…" Ali told him sadly, looking unconvincedly at him. "Littlefoot, you and your friends would be putting your lives at stake out there…and all for a sharptooth!"

"Ali, I told you, Chomper is one of our friends too. I'm sure that he's completely innocent, and that he'll always be our friend no matter what! If we don't help him, he might not be able to make it! Please Ali...please help us out!" Littlefoot cried desperately.

Ali stared at Littlefoot seriously for a while, and then, with great hesitation, she nodded. Sighing, she reluctantly said, "Okay Littlefoot…I just hope you're doing the right thing." And silently, she left Littlefoot alone on the hill, and prepared to walk off to search for the others.

"Thanks Ali," Littlefoot told her appreciatively. "Could you tell everyone to meet tonight at the place where we saw Chomper escape as soon as their families fall asleep?" Littlefoot said quietly as Ali nodded.

Ali kept walking down a straight path, but occasionally, she walked off to the side to pause. She felt guilty about going against the will of everyone in her herd, and she still questioned to herself whether she was doing the right thing by helping to save the sharptooth. Rhett's last screams and words kept haunting her with each step she took. On the other hand, she trusted Littlefoot's word that he was a good sharptooth and kept on hearing the sharptooth's desperate, innocent voice in her head, so reluctantly, she plowed on.

Ali walked into the surrounding woods, knowing that she would be less conspicuous there than if she were out in the open. She pretended to be peacefully absorbed in eating treestars, but while she did eat, her real intent was to find Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike. After looking for a while, Ali heard some distressed noises nearby. Sticking her head above the treetops, Ali noticed that she was standing nearby a tall rocky shelter, complete with some branches on it, where she saw a lot of young flyers talking restlessly to each other. "It's Petrie's nest!" Ali gasped. Through the crowd of flyers, she quickly saw Petrie, who was dejectedly sitting on the edge of their rock. His mother was standing by him, trying to comfort him.

"Me miss friends," Petrie told his mother. "Me miss them whole bunches!"

"Look Petrie, I'm sorry this has to happen, but you have to be careful with the company that you keep," Mama Flyer explained, hugging Petrie gently. "That sharptooth is a danger to the valley…"

"Chomper not trouble!" Petrie cried out. "He a good, nice sharptooth. And you should not ground Petrie from friends! Petrie want to be with them!"

And crying in frustration, Petrie flew deep into his stony cave. Mama Flyer sighed sadly and said to herself, "Aww Petrie…I'm sorry…" She then shook her head, shut her eyes, and sighed deeply, not seeming to notice Ali at all.

Ali then circled back through the woods until she got behind the rock shelter. Then she walked toward the rocky shelter's back wall, where she found a hole near the bottom of it. Putting her ear next to the hole, she heard some sobs nearby and realized that Petrie must be close by. "Psst…Petrie, is that you?" she whispered.

"Ali?" Petrie whispered back, hardly daring to believe his ears. "Thank goodness me can talk to you!"

"Listen," Ali whispered. "Littlefoot wants you to meet up with him at the place where you saw the sharptooth escape. Cera, Ducky, and Spike will be coming too. The plan is for you guys to leave the Great Valley tonight to help rescue the sharptooth and for you to escape together."

"Really?" Petrie asked hopefully.

"Yes," Ali whispered. "You should go there as soon as your mother and siblings fall asleep."

"OK, me will! Thanks Ali," Petrie whispered cheerily. "You good friend."

Ali smiled, walked back into the forest, and continued to look for Cera, Ducky, and Spike. Time passed with no success, but after a while she arrived at a small pond, where a similar scene awaited her eyes. Ducky was sitting on the grassy edge of the pond, sticking her feet into the water and staring down at it gloomily. Mama Swimmer was standing by her, and saying, "Ducky, please… calm down. I know it's hard, but it's for the best. Just stay here and try to relax. We'll get Spike back soon and you'll be able to see your friends again once we take care of that sharptooth."

"But…Chomper is my friend too Mama, he is! You cannot kill him, no no no!" Ducky shouted in anguish.

"There there Ducky, calm down," Mama Swimmer told Ducky, bending down and hugging her gently. Ducky soon began to cry, and Ducky's mother gave Ducky a leaf to cry into. Seeing that there was no way for her to get close to Ducky without her mother noticing, Ali let out a loud, high-pitched call. It worked, as Mama Swimmer instantly looked into the forest in concern.

"Oh dear…your brothers and sisters might be up to real trouble this time! Ducky, stay here, I've just got to make sure that everyone's okay. I'll be back soon, I promise," Mama Swimmer told her kindly.

"Yep yep yep," Ducky replied in a very dispirited way, not even taking her eyes off her reflection.

Hurriedly, Mama Swimmer hurried through the woods, looking for her other children, while Ali watched Mama Swimmer as she went further and further away. Then, when Mama Swimmer disappeared, Ali walked out of the forest and approached Ducky, who continued to sit in the same place, occasionally giving the water a sad, small kick.

"Oh I miss them all, I do… I miss Littlefoot and Cera…and Spike…and oh I miss Petrie too…" Ducky blushed slightly before sighing, "I miss Petrie very much…"

"Ducky," Ali whispered from right behind her.

Ducky turned, gasped, and upon seeing Ali, a big smile grew on her face. She instantly got out of the pond and hugged Ali. She then cried, "Ali! It is great to see you, yep yep yep! I miss my friends, I do."

"Ducky," Ali whispered hurriedly. "I haven't got much time, but…Littlefoot's planning a getaway for you guys tonight. When your mother and siblings fall asleep, go to the cliff where you saw the sharptooth escape. Then you guys will make your getaway together and you'll go rescue him."

"Ooh, I like that idea, yep yep yep!" Ducky exclaimed. "Thanks Ali! You are a great friend, you are!"

"You're welcome Ducky," Ali replied, and she quickly headed back to the woods. Looking back, Ali saw that Ducky was happily humming to herself. Ali smiled, for she could tell that her news put Ducky in a much better mood. Ali ate more tree stars while she watched Mama Swimmer walking back to Ducky, seemingly unaware of Ali's presence.

"Hi Mama!" Ducky exclaimed, her eyes bright with excitement. "I feel better now!"

Ali sighed, for Ducky was not at all careful to hide her happiness. Luckily, Mama Swimmer didn't seem to suspect anything though, and hugged Ducky as she told her, "Thank goodness! I knew that a bath would help you out!"

"Me too," Ducky giggled, and then she looked into the forest and gave Ali an overjoyed grin and a wink.

Ali drew her attention away from Ducky and her mother and proceeded to make her way through the woods, looking out every now and then to look for Cera and Spike. The day drew on as she continued without success, but then, she stopped as she heard a sad sigh. Looking above the trees, Ali saw that Cera was lying down on the ground, looking up into the skies and sighing to herself. Then she hit the ground with her front foot in frustration and looked dispiritedly at the ground.

Ali checked to make sure the coast was clear, before she walked out and approached Cera. "Hi Cera…it's me," Ali told her.

"Ali!" Cera gasped happily. "It's great to see you! I can't believe I finally have someone to talk to! Have you seen Littlefoot? How's he doing?" Cera asked breathlessly.

But before Ali could reply, the rocks nearby them were vibrating forcefully and Ali and Cera felt the ground shake. Ali and Cera looked behind them, and then they looked at each other in horror and gasped. Mr. Threehorn was charging aggressively toward Ali with an enraged leer on his face. He then stopped right in front of Ali, held his horn threateningly close to her leg, and looked furiously into her wide, terrified eyes. Ali shivered and recoiled as Mr. Threehorn yelled, "Don't you dare come near my daughter, longneck! Understand?"

Ali nodded fearfully, and without a second thought, tore off back into the forest. She knew though, that if she waited long enough, there would be another chance for her to talk to Cera.

As Ali disappeared, Mr. Threehorn's glare shifted from her to Cera, who scowled defiantly at him. "Well? What do you think you're doing talking to that longneck?" he roared, stomping with fury.

"Dad, she's not Littlefoot, she's…" Cera began.

Mr. Threehorn interrupted, "She's still a flathead, just like he is!"

"Don't call them that!" Cera yelled furiously, glaring at her father with intensity. "Littlefoot and Ali are my friends! And so is Chomper! You grownups have to leave him alone, he did nothing wrong!"

Mr. Threehorn ignored her, and sternly continued, "That Littlefoot is up to no good, I can feel it in my bones. Cera, I order you to stop thinking of him! I heard he was talking about interspecies relationships!"

"No!" Cera shouted, and as Ali looked at Cera, she saw that Cera's eyes were filled with a strong, determined passion that she had never seen in anyone before. "I'll never stop thinking about him! And all he did was ask a question!"

"Before you get any ideas, no daughter of mine will ever be involved in a…in a...vulgar relationship!" Mr. Threehorn yelled loudly, giving Cera a threatening glare as he stood defiantly.

"Dad, I'm not interested in that, and neither is Littlefoot! He was just asking a question, that's all," Cera told him exasperatedly.

"Well I don't want you to ever think about that longneck again. Understand?" Mr. Threehorn demanded.

"No! Littlefoot is my friend! And he always will be!" Cera shouted, her eyes still burning with that same passion that Ali saw before, and she rammed into Mr. Threehorn, causing him to fall a few steps backward.

"How dare you attack me like that!" Mr. Threehorn glared. "I am your father, so you must treat me with respect. Let's see how much you like it!" Mr. Threehorn shouted, and in fury, he charged into Cera, causing her to gasp and fall bellyfirst onto the ground. Mr. Threehorn leered at Cera determinedly, but as she got up, she still managed to give her father a defiant look.

Mr. Threehorn growled, "This interspecies arrangement we have in the Great Valley is getting to be a real problem, Cera. You haven't even met a threehorn your own age that you can settle down with!"

"What if I don't want to marry anyone yet?" Cera shouted angrily.

"Cera, I am your father, and I know what's best for you!" Mr. Threehorn roared, his voice carrying loudly. "And I order you this…don't you ever think of flatheads, duckbeaks, beakbrains, or spiketails again! I see my mistake in staying here for far too long. Tomorrow, we leave at the crack of dawn!"

"No!" Cera shouted, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm not going!"

"Yes!" Mr. Threehorn shouted, stomping his foot. "We leave… or else! Now, don't move an inch while I let Tria and Tricia know about our plans. And believe me… I will know if you move."

And with that, Mr. Threehorn stormed off, while Cera cried into her front foot in frustration. When Mr. Threehorn was out of sight, Ali walked out of the forest and bent down next to Cera, feeling amazed at how passionate and determined Cera was to stick up for Littlefoot despite her father's intensive pressure**. **

Cera looked up and her expression softened. "Oh Ali, you're still here?" Cera asked gently. "Well, you must have heard my dad. I'm really mad at him! He blames everything on Littlefoot!"

"Yeah," Ali told Cera quietly, still amazed with how loyally Cera defended Littlefoot. Then Ali bent down so her head was right next to Cera's ear as she whispered, "Cera, I don't have much time before your father gets back, so listen. Littlefoot asked me to tell you that you guys are going to escape the Great Valley tonight to rescue your sharptooth friend."

Cera lifted her head up eagerly and smiled brightly at Ali. "Really?" she asked, hardly daring to believe it.

Ali nodded. "When your parents and Tricia fall asleep, meet up by the edge of the Great Valley where you helped the sharptooth escape. When you all get there, you'll get away…"

Cera smiled gratefully at Ali and was about to thank her, but then she heard a familiar rumbling sound. Cera gasped, "That's my dad! Scram!"

Ali nodded understandingly, and she hurried off into the forest. A few moments later, Mr. Threehorn returned, and he was accompanied by Tria and Tricia. Luckily, Mr. Threehorn didn't seem to notice Ali at all, as he and Tria were in a heated argument.

"Topsy, this is outrageous!" Tria told him fiercely as Tricia nodded fervently alongside her. "The Great Valley is our home!"

"And it's also a home for flatheads, beakfaces, duckbeaks, and spiketails. It's not a home for us to be at," Mr. Threehorn replied. By then, Ali was well within the woods, and there was no sign that she had talked to Cera again, other than that Cera was unusually silent in her family's argument. Now all Ali had to do was to find Spike. This was the easiest part, since she and Spike were staying in the same area of the Great Valley, and the only others who were staying near them were Cam and Mia. She knew that she just needed to catch Spike while Cam and Mia were away. Ali walked quickly back to her area of the Great Valley, where she quickly found Spike, who to her relief, was all alone.

Just then, Spike caught sight of Ali. Instantly, he ran up to her and gave her a nervous look. "What is it Spike?" Ali asked.

Spike gave Ali an urgent look, and then he crouched down.

"You want me to crouch down?" Ali asked Spike, who nodded.

The two of them lied still and silently for a few seconds, before Ali told him, "Spike, Littlefoot wants to let you know that when nobody's watching you, go to the spot where the sharptooth escaped tonight. You guys will all meet together there and escape." Spike quickly nodded, but then his eyes widened and he gasped urgently. "What is it, Spike?" Ali asked. But this time she heard some voices from the nearby woods.

"It's Mia and Cam…" Ali muttered slowly. She saw their necks were sticking out of the trees, and she knew that the two of them were probably making sure that no one was listening to them. Then Ali turned to look back at Spike, and noticed that he was looking at her oddly.

"What, Spike?" Ali asked. Spike then stretched out his neck as far as it would go. Ali quickly figured out that since Mia had a really long neck that he was referring to her.

"Is it about Mia?" Ali asked to make sure. Spike nodded. Then, he stretched his legs out and began to move them.

"Oh gosh Spike, you're right! Mia shouldn't be able to walk yet if she was this injured!" Ali gasped. She then tucked her legs and neck in, trying her hardest to avoid being detected as she listened intently. Luckily, Mia and Cam didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, so they began to talk.

"We're going to leave now," Mia told Cam. "They're probably waiting for us already. The plan has worked like a charm."

"Right," Cam answered. "So where should we go?"

"Into the woods, this way. We're going right now. Now be covert," Mia replied as they began to walk.

"What about Ali?" Cam asked. "Shouldn't we say goodbye to her?"

"I swear Cam, you're being stupid," Mia told her disdainfully. "Didn't I just say covert? Let's get going!"

And with that, Mia and Cam's voices faded off into the distance.

"They're up to something," Ali muttered, and Spike nodded. Then Ali asked Spike a question that was nagging at her beforehand.

"Spike, did the sharptooth bite Mia or not?" Ali asked him. Spike looked at her firmly and shook his head.

Ali gasped in surprise, and then she asked puzzledly, "Then why did you tell the grownups that the sharptooth bit Mia on the neck if he didn't?" Spike shook his head again.

"You mean you didn't say that?" Ali asked. Spike nodded.

"Could you show me what happened?" Ali asked Spike gently. Spike nodded. Once again, Spike stretched out his neck, then he growled, showing off his teeth and pounded the ground.

"I don't understand…" Ali told Spike puzzledly. But then she sighed, "Well, now that Mia and Cam are gone, I guess I'll be here with you for the rest of the day. Good luck tonight Spike," she told him, and Spike nodded affectionately, and the two of them sat and ate treestars while nervously looking at the setting bright circle, knowing that the time for action was almost upon them.


	11. Littlefoot's Hidden Feelings

Chapter 11: Littlefoot's Hidden Feelings

"Spike, stay here," Ali told him. "I'm going to tell Littlefoot that everyone knows about the plan."

Spike nodded and Ali walked back to where Littlefoot was. Nobody seemed to notice her as she crossed through the Great Valley and headed closer and closer to where she last saw Littlefoot. When she arrived at the hill where Littlefoot was before, she found that he was still there, sleeping peacefully, and neither of his grandparents was watching him. He was lying down on the grass, with his legs sprawled out. Ali smiled, for she thought Littlefoot looked cute as he stretched out his legs and rolled on the ground.

Ali approached Littlefoot and she called out, "Littlefoot, wake up! I'm back!"

Littlefoot, however, was so deeply asleep that he couldn't hear her. He was mumbling in his sleep, and now that Ali got a closer look, she noticed that his rolling on the ground and stretching didn't look to be peaceful at all. Gasping, Ali saw that Littlefoot was thrashing in his sleep, and she watched in horror as a pained expression appeared on Littlefoot's face. She could tell that Littlefoot was having a bad sleep story.

"Are you all right, Littlefoot?" Ali asked as she stood next to him.

Then, Ali heard Littlefoot mumble in a pained, yet very determined voice, "Leave her alone, sharptooth…Cera…Cera...Cera…"

Ali then bent down to Littlefoot's head and whispered, "Psst…Littlefoot…wake up!"

Littlefoot shouted and jumped up in worry. His head desperately swiveled in all directions as he breathed heavily, and after a few seconds, he realized that Ali was standing right by him. "Ali! We have to save…" Littlefoot began frantically.

"Cera?" Ali finished gently. Vigorously, Littlefoot nodded, and as he looked at Ali, she noticed that to her amazement, the same intense passion that she had just seen in Cera's eyes had appeared again in Littlefoot's eyes. Ali then laughed gently and said, "Calm down, Littlefoot. It was just a sleep story. Don't worry. Cera's just fine."

"How did you know it was Cera?" Littlefoot asked curiously, looking at Ali with a puzzled expression on his face.

"You were murmuring her name in your sleep," Ali answered.

"Oh…" Littlefoot replied, blushing furiously and looking at the ground. "Sorry for scaring you Ali."

"That's all right," Ali smiled. Then she continued, "So, I've checked in with Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike, and everyone is ready for the plan. As soon as their parents have fallen asleep, I've told everyone to meet you at the place where Chomper left. Also Mia and Cam have left, so Spike is now unsupervised and he should get there with no problem."

"Great," Littlefoot told Ali, smiling gratefully at her. "Thanks so much, Ali."

"You're welcome," Ali replied. Then, she stood and looked at Littlefoot for a long time. She looked deeply into his eyes, and Littlefoot noticed that she looked to be very deep in thought.

"Is anything wrong Ali?" Littlefoot asked concernedly.

"Oh, it's nothing, Littlefoot," Ali told Littlefoot gently. "It's just…I can tell that your heart…and my gut feeling... have already made the decision for both of us."

Littlefoot looked confusedly at Ali, and without fully understanding why, he realized that he felt the same way. He felt a tear roll down his cheek, for he didn't want her to realize his feelings just yet, especially right after she had just helped him. "Ali, Ali… I'm sorry," Littlefoot stuttered sadly. "But I don't understand...why?"

"That's all right, Littlefoot," Ali replied softly. "And don't worry. I think your heart made a great choice in the end…and you will understand sooner than you think." And with that, she turned and began to walk back towards Spike.

"Ali?" Littlefoot asked suddenly.

Ali turned to look back. "Yes, Littlefoot?"

"Well… we can still be friends, right?" Littlefoot asked gently, looking at her pleadingly.

"Of course, Littlefoot," Ali smiled. "And I won't tell anyone of what just happened, I promise."

"Thanks Ali," Littlefoot replied gently.

Littlefoot looked at the setting bright circle and sighed as tears fell from his eyes. His heart felt heavy as he worried that he might have unintentionally broken Ali's heart. But as he looked at the setting bright circle, he understood that a romantic relationship between them would not have worked out, for he knew in his heart that while they were close friends, he did not truly love her. He wished with all his heart that Ali would be happy even while knowing that his heart did not belong to her.

Littlefoot kept on thinking about how Ali could've been feeling for a while, but eventually he took his mind off of her and began to look up at the sky puffies high above him in the twilight sky. Littlefoot smiled slightly, for watching the sky puffies always made him feel a little better. Littlefoot sat and continued to watch the sky puffies go by, and slowly but surely, their cheerful forms began to ease some of the pain that his heart felt.

The sky puffies took on all sorts of familiar and wondrous forms, from those resembling tree stars to sweet bubbles to those resembling longnecks with wings and star swimmers that almost seemed to be waving at him. Littlefoot smiled at and admired many of these amazing clouds, but of all the clouds above, there was one cloud that Littlefoot was especially captivated with, a cloud that he couldn't keep his eyes off of for long. He felt his eyes water and a soft grin emerge whenever he set his eyes upon this cloud. It had a peculiar, soft shape with gorgeous curved edges around its top that formed a dazzlingly beautiful frill. Near the cloud, Littlefoot saw three stars twinkling brightly. He imagined that if these stars were connected to the cloud, they would have looked like the ends of three very special horns. Littlefoot smiled, for he saw that when put together, the stars and cloud formed an image that looked very much like someone that he held very closely to his heart.

He sighed dreamily as he closed his eyes and began to reflect. He had known Cera for almost as long as he could remember, and though they regularly argued, they have always remained best of friends and have really cared for each other. But upon reflecting over his feelings, Littlefoot realized that he cared about her in a way deeper than he had ever imagined. He reminisced over all the times that they had spent together from when they played fun games to when they went on dangerous adventures to when they just sat and appreciated each other's company. He smiled with those happy memories, vividly imagining her special warm presence that he always felt by his side through all of those special moments. While he missed all of his friends badly, he especially missed Cera and thought about her over and over… everything about her, from her wonderfully feisty and determined personality to her gorgeous green eyes and her ornately decorated frill, to the way her beautiful voice said, "Littlefoot". He then had a new thought, and realized that that the way she called out his name sounded strikingly like the voice in his sleep stories that had been calling for him night after night. Then Littlefoot thought about his last sleep story, in which he imagined Cera, rather than being her inspirationally energetic and confident self, lying unnaturally lifeless and still. Seeing Cera dead in his sleep story made him feel terribly miserable, and in those tragic moments, there felt like there was no point in living at all…then it all clicked.

"I love her," Littlefoot muttered aloud to himself, amazed with his discovery. At once, part of him began to feel at peace with itself, realizing at last, why Cera always was so special to him. At the same time, however, he experienced a rush of anxiety. _"Oh gosh…I'm in trouble,"_ he thought. Littlefoot vividly remembered his grandmother's voice when he asked her and his grandfather for their opinions on different species falling in love. _"Such an act… well, wouldn't be natural… it wouldn't be the right thing to do…to be lovers, that crosses the line."_

Littlefoot's heart sank. He was falling into the very same position that his grandparents were talking about. Then he imagined Cera's reaction if he asked her. With dread, he imagined her skeptical voice smirking, _"You've got to be kidding, Littlefoot! Threehorns fall in love with threehorns, and longnecks fall in love with longnecks."_ He then imagined her laughing at him, or even worse, deciding that she didn't want to be friends with him anymore. Then he imagined Cera's father's reaction. With a sudden jolt, he remembered his grandfather saying, _"Mr. Threehorn would never approve."_

Littlefoot knew that unfortunately, his grandfather was probably right. He knew Cera's dad was extremely judgmental and he knew that if Cera's dad suspected his feelings, Cera's dad would do anything to try to keep Cera away from him. Though it was a long time ago, Littlefoot still plainly remembered the day when he first met Cera, when her dad said, _"Threehorns never play with Longnecks."_ Littlefoot's heart sunk with that thought. If Cera's dad had at one point disapproved of him and Cera playing together, Littlefoot was sure that the thought of him being in love with her would drive Cera's dad to a furious wrath.

_"But,"_ a voice replied in Littlefoot's head. "_Cera always seems so annoyed whenever a girl longneck walks up to me. Maybe…she's jealous. Maybe she's in love with me…but she doesn't feel comfortable talking to me about it yet… But maybe someday soon, she'll come forward and say how she really feels about me."_

Littlefoot closed his eyes and smiled as he imagined Cera saying, _"I love you, Littlefoot."_ He sighed dreamily, before he heard Grandma Longneck call out, "There you are Littlefoot! Now come on, you should get some rest."


	12. The Great Escape

Chapter 12: The Great Escape

Littlefoot walked over to Grandma and Grandpa Longneck when he heard Grandma Longneck calling him. When Littlefoot arrived at their part of the Great Valley, he saw that his grandparents were standing in the exact place where he left them. Littlefoot pretended to be sleepy as he walked over to them, squinting and yawning, "I'm tired."

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck chuckled. "Okay Littlefoot," Grandpa Longneck smiled. The three of them then lay down, but Littlefoot could tell that Grandma and Grandpa Longneck still were wide awake. "So, how was Ali today?" Grandpa Longneck asked Littlefoot with an inquisitive tone.

"Did you enjoy your walk together?" Grandma Longneck asked.

"Oh, uh, it went all right," Littlefoot told them evasively. "We had a nice talk."

"And?" Grandpa Longneck asked, as he and Grandma Longneck looked at him eagerly.

"That's about it, really," Littlefoot told his grandparents. He knew what they really wanted to know about, but he couldn't bring himself to tell them what really happened.

"Oh…" Grandma and Grandpa Longneck said at once, looking at each other disappointedly. "Well, good night then, Littlefoot," Grandma Longneck told him.

"Goodnight Grandma, Grandpa," Littlefoot yawned. Littlefoot looked at his grandparents while keeping his own eyes half-closed as he pretended to fall asleep. Slowly, he watched his grandparents as their eyes began to close and their bodies began to relax. Littlefoot's heart, anticipating the plan, kept beating and ensured that he wouldn't fall asleep. It seemed to take hours, but at last, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were both breathing deeply and snoring soundly, looking peaceful and content in their sleep.

Littlefoot then stood up, took a few steps, and looked back to see if his grandparents noticed that he moved. Luckily, neither of his grandparents noticed anything for they were both sound asleep. Knowing that they wouldn't wake up, Littlefoot took one last look at his grandparents sleeping peacefully before he snuck off and quietly walked alongside the outskirts of the forests. His heart raced as he walked, for he knew that if any of the grownups would catch him or one of his friends, the plan would be foiled altogether. As luck would have it though, nobody seemed to be awake as he drew closer and closer to the Great Valley's edge. Then with a jolt of relief, he saw the forest that led to the spot where he and his friends helped Chomper and Ruby escape.

Quickly and quietly, Littlefoot walked through the small, now familiar forest, and upon seeing the clearing by the cliff, he saw someone that made his heart leap instantly. Spike was already standing in the clearing, eating flowers while he waited expectantly.

"Hey Spike," Littlefoot whispered, smiling broadly, as he walked out of the forest and over to Spike. "It's me."

Spike turned, saw Littlefoot, and at once, he jumped for joy and he rubbed against Littlefoot enthusiastically.

"I missed you too, Spike!" Littlefoot told him happily as Spike gave him a big lick. Smiling, Littlefoot hopefully asked, "Have you seen any of the others?"

Spike shook his head, and Littlefoot and Spike stood and waited.

"We probably should build our escape route in the meantime," Littlefoot told Spike after a few minutes, and Spike nodded happily. Then he gently asked Spike, "Promise not to eat the log until we all get to the top, okay?"

Spike nodded, and gently laughing together, Littlefoot and Spike hurried over to a large, thick tree. Spike lashed at the bottom of the tree with his spiky tail, causing a crack to appear near the stump, which Littlefoot pressed down on to separate the log from the stump. After a little while of work, Littlefoot and Spike smiled as they saw that the log was fully separated from the stump.

"Great job, Spike!" Littlefoot exclaimed, and Spike nodded and smiled happily. "We'll wait for Petrie to hang it up," Littlefoot told Spike. Then Littlefoot looked at the log, and noticed how narrow it was for a four-footer to walk across it. "But…I don't know if that log would be wide and sturdy enough for us to walk across. I think we should get some more logs, what do you think Spike?"

Spike looked at how narrow the log was and nodded in agreement, so he and Littlefoot chopped down two more very thick logs and together they rolled them next to the first one. But just as they finished arranging the new logs so that they were perfectly lined up, they heard a voice coming from behind them.

"Hi Littlefoot! Spike!" the voice, brimming with enthusiasm, called out. Littlefoot and Spike turned, and their hearts leapt as Ducky came running toward them, her eyes welling up with joy.

"Littlefoot! I am so happy to see you, I am!" she exclaimed. Then she turned to Spike, hugged him and brightly told him, "Now we can be together again, big brother!"

Ducky then noticed the logs in front of Littlefoot and Spike. "Oh goody! You have got the logs ready!"

Littlefoot nodded happily before saying, "Well, almost…" Then he asked, "Ducky, do you know of any way to bind these logs together?"

"Oh yes yes yes!" Ducky exclaimed. "The forest has plenty of trees with thick, long vines. I will go get some, I will."

"Great idea, Ducky!" Littlefoot exclaimed enthusiastically, and Ducky went into the woods where she began to look for vines. In a couple of minutes, Ducky came back with some vines, and she kneeled down to tie up the logs so that they would make one very wide log bridge.

"Have you seen Petrie?" Ducky asked Littlefoot as she began to tie up the logs.

"Not yet," Littlefoot told Ducky gently. "I'm sure he'll come though."

"I hope Mama Flyer does not give him a hard time," Ducky told Littlefoot worriedly. "I really hope he comes, I feel lonely without him…" Ducky told Littlefoot. Littlefoot could've sworn he saw a small tinge of pink on Ducky's face for a moment, before she hurriedly looked down and focused on tying up the logs.

"There, all done, yep yep yep!" Ducky exclaimed. She got up, revealing that the logs were neatly bound and connected.

"Great! Now all we need to do now," Littlefoot began, but before he could say another word, another voice called out from above them.

"Littlefoot, Spike, Ducky! You here!" Petrie called out happily as he soared over the forest, while Littlefoot's, Ducky's, and Spike's hearts soared along with him.

"Hi Petrie!" Ducky exclaimed delightedly as Petrie landed. She then rushed over to him, gave him a big hug, and giggled happily. "Yay! You are here! I missed you so much, Petrie!"

Petrie blushed and looked very thrilled, before he said, "Me miss you whole bunches too!" Littlefoot smiled at Ducky as he saw that she looked just as thrilled as Petrie did.

"Hi Petrie," Littlefoot told him happily. "Listen, we've got a plan. See these logs? Can you fly up to the top with them so you could form a bridge up just like last time?"

"Petrie try," Petrie replied nervously. "But three logs harder than one."

"Come on Petrie!" Ducky cheered. "I know you can do it!"

Petrie smiled at Ducky, nodded determinedly and began to try and lift up the logs. He pulled his hardest, and while he couldn't move the logs very high, Littlefoot saw that they were lifted enough so that a little crack between the ground and the logs appeared. Littlefoot bent down and stuck his head under the crack, and with all his effort, he lifted his head up, pushing the logs off the ground and up to the right position. Petrie continued to fly up while carrying the logs, until at last, the logs were finally put into place, connecting the ground and the cliff.

"Let us climb up to the cliff. That way we can get away faster, yep yep yep," Ducky suggested, and she, Littlefoot, and Spike climbed the logs up to the cliff, while Petrie flew up to join the others. When everyone got to the top of the cliff, they stood on the edge, and looked down at the empty clearing. "Now all we have to do is wait for Cera," Littlefoot told Ducky, Petrie, and Spike.

The four of them stood on the edge of the cliff and waited. They heard the wind blow, felt the breeze tickle them, and saw the leaves flutter across the ground. Time passed by, yet there was still no sign of Cera anywhere.

"I hope Cera's okay," Littlefoot said anxiously. "Petrie, can you go look for her?"

"I'm coming!" shouted a hurried voice in the forest.

A couple of seconds later, Cera came charging through the trees. Her eyes were wide with panic and she was thoroughly out of breath. "He's coming! My dad's coming! He didn't go to sleep!" Cera panted.

"Climb up the logs," Littlefoot told Cera urgently.

Cera nodded frantically as she kept running toward them, while the ominous rumble of Mr. Threehorn's footsteps drew closer and closer. Just when Cera put her first foot on the log…

"Cera!" yelled a booming voice in the woods, causing a chill to run up everyone's spine.

"Oh no!" Cera gasped. "He's here!"

They could hear Mr. Threehorn ramming his way through the woods as Cera tried to climb up the logs as quickly as she could. But then there was an ominous crack and Cera gasped as she felt her body fall a little bit, and suddenly, one of her legs had vanished.

"Aak! Guys, I'm stuck!" Cera cried out desperately.

Cera had lodged her back right foot through the log, causing it to get stuck. Cera squirmed desperately, trying to free her foot. Littlefoot stuck his neck out, and tried to pull Cera over by the frill, while Petrie tried lifting her up by the tail, but all they could do was move Cera a few inches, for her foot remained trapped inside the log.

"It's no use!" Littlefoot cried. "We need to get Cera's foot out of that log!"

"I will try doing it," Ducky told Littlefoot determinedly. "I am small enough to go down the log but strong enough to pull her foot up."

But just as Ducky hurried down the log to work on freeing Cera's foot, Mr. Threehorn charged through the forest, his eyes alive with rage, knocking trees aside with his head as he rampaged over toward them. "I knew you were going to try this, but it's not going to happen! You're coming with me, Cera," Mr. Threehorn told her threateningly.

"Ugh…done!" Ducky told Cera as she pulled Cera's leg out of the hole, and now free, Cera quickly ran up the logs and managed to get to the top.

"Get back here!" Mr. Threehorn roared, while Ducky began to follow Cera up the logs.

"I do not like this, no no no!" Ducky shouted as she tried her hardest to make it up the logs.

Then, Littlefoot, Cera, Petrie, and Spike gasped. Mr. Threehorn took a few hurried steps up the log, and he stretched his head out and managed to bite onto Ducky's tail, holding her in place. Gasping, Ducky tried to squirm away, but she couldn't free herself from Mr. Threehorn's very firm grip. Mr. Threehorn had a triumphant smile on his face, and he growled, "She won't be freed until you come down, Cera."

"No! Me won't let that happen!" Petrie shouted, and he blew an intense gust of wind that caused Mr. Threehorn to growl in confusion, let go of Ducky's tail, and fall off of the logs.

"You're not getting away!" Mr. Threehorn shouted furiously. But before he could get back on the logs, Spike stepped on the top end of the logs with all his might. The logs lifted up like a catapult, and Mr. Threehorn roared in anger as his only way to stop the kids flew away from him with the log. But then everyone noticed that Ducky wasn't there with them, and upon looking out, they felt a jolt of panic as they saw that Ducky was hurled up into the air as well, screaming with terror.

"Help!" Ducky squealed, now far away from the others, who gasped in horror, seeing only a small distant object flailing in the sky.

"Me coming, Ducky!" Petrie gasped, and taking a deep breath, he took off and began to soar towards her. With all the determination and speed he could muster, Petrie rocketed straight towards Ducky and got right next to her just when she began to fall. In one quick movement, he managed to carefully catch Ducky with his feet and flew on, panting with exhaustion.

"Thank you Petrie," Ducky told him, smiling brightly and affectionately petting his crest.

"You welcome," Petrie smiled back. Petrie gently tried to fly back to the cliff while carrying Ducky. But then Petrie looked below him and saw a sight that made his stomach churn. He was losing height with carrying Ducky's weight, and realized…

"Aak! There only big water below! Me… can't fly all way to land with your weight! And… Petrie will fall to big water! Petrie not make it!"

Then, a huge wave rose up and hit Petrie's wing, causing it to be covered with a thick coat of water. "Aak! Petrie can't fly now!"

"Hold onto me, and make sure I am below you!" Ducky gasped as they approached the water raging below them. "Do not try flying anymore!"

"Don't fly? But what good that do?" Petrie asked worriedly.

"Trust me!" Ducky gasped determinedly. "Now on the count of three, stop flying! One, two…"

And with that, they began to rapidly fall into the water.

"Hold on!" Ducky shouted. Then the two of them made a big splash as they crashed into the big water. Petrie was lying on top of Ducky, clutching her tightly, while Ducky began to swim on her back through the big water toward the beach that while nearby, seemed to be very far away from them.

"Aak Ducky, you kicking me!" Petrie shouted, as he got drawn closer and closer to Ducky by her kicking.

"Do not worry Petrie… we are almost there!" Ducky shouted. Then she looked straight ahead and gasped, "Petrie, watch out! A big wave is coming!"

Petrie gasped in terror as he turned and saw that a huge wave was rolling toward them, and before they knew it, the wave began to dump huge droplets of water on their faces.

"Ducky, me can't see no more," Petrie cried fearfully as the heavy downpour of the wave furiously crashed over them.

"Just hang on!" Ducky shouted through the roaring wave. And in only a couple moments later, the wave began to hurl Ducky and Petrie up into the air. Petrie was still grabbing onto Ducky for dear life, shouting in panic, while Ducky was also grabbing onto Petrie, trying to stiffen herself so that the waves wouldn't flip her over.

The intense torrents of water caused them to close their eyes, but as they began falling, Petrie and Ducky suddenly felt a surprisingly warm and comforting presence. Together, they fell with a thud on the soft sand, locked in a tight embrace, with her mouth against his…and then they realized what had just happened.


	13. Discoveries On The Beach

Chapter 13: Discoveries on the Beach

When they realized what they had just done, Petrie and Ducky quickly broke away and instantly, they began to blush feverishly, unable to resist taking glances at each other's faces. Petrie stuttered and shivered nervously as Ducky gave him a smile that grew bigger and bigger with each passing moment.

"Petrie! I always wanted to do that!" Ducky gasped, her bright blue eyes twinkling with delight.

"Be carried off by big water?" Petrie asked confusedly. "Me not want to do that again!"

"No Petrie," Ducky laughed. "I always wanted to kiss you!"

"Really?" Petrie gasped in disbelief, his eyes lighting up excitedly. "Me wanted to do that too!"

Ducky and Petrie smiled at each other in amazement, and then Ducky enthusiastically exclaimed, "I love you, Petrie!

"Me love you too Ducky," Petrie replied happily, and without another word, the two of them giggled lightheartedly, hugged each other tightly and launched themselves into their first conscious kiss.

Nearby on a hilly path that led to the beach, Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike were sitting behind a rocky wall and were peering around the corner, quietly watching Petrie and Ducky enjoying their special moments together under the light of the rising bright circle. Littlefoot smiled affectionately at Petrie and Ducky, for he knew that both of them had been dreaming for this moment. He also saw that Cera was smiling at them, though he noticed that she looked unusually deep in thought.

"They…finally did it," Littlefoot told Cera happily. Cera smiled and nodded along with him, still with that thoughtful look in her eyes.

"Should we give them a little more time to themselves?" Littlefoot asked Cera, but before she could answer, Spike had begun to charge right to them, and in a matter of seconds, he rubbed against Ducky with such enthusiasm that she toppled over to the ground.

"Woah! Hi Spike!" Ducky smiled as she moved to sit down on the sand. Spike then began to lick Ducky's face as she giggled cheerfully. Then Ducky turned and saw Littlefoot and Cera, who were both smiling as they ran down the hilly path.

"Ducky! Petrie! We found you!" Littlefoot cried out.

"Hi guys! Guess what? Petrie and I have fallen in love!" Ducky exclaimed.

"That's great news!" Littlefoot told them happily, as Cera nodded and smiled at them with that foggy expression still in her eyes.

"Littlefoot, Cera, we both secretly have loved each other for a long time, but until now we did not realize that…we both love each other!" Ducky cheered. Then she turned to Spike and added, "And thanks for the lift off, Spike! You helped us really fall in love, you did!" Spike then nodded happily in response and rubbed against Ducky again.

"I'm so happy for you two!" Littlefoot exclaimed.

"Me happy too, but me also worried… there still problem," Petrie said sadly, looking down at the sand. "Me know grownups not like this…"

"Oh no no no…we would be in big trouble. They would be really mad at us, they would," Ducky sighed, shaking her head.

"We not same kind," Petrie sighed worriedly. "We'd never get accepted for this."

"Well, what you are doesn't matter to me, I'm completely fine with your love," Littlefoot told Petrie and Ducky warmly.

"You are fine with it too Spike, I can tell," Ducky smiled while Spike licked her on the face. Then she turned to face Cera. "Cera….are you fine with it?"

"Oh, uh…" Cera began to smile. "Sure! I mean, uh, why not? I mean, uh, a threehorn wouldn't be interested, but, hey, it makes Dad mad, so I'm cool with that."

Everyone laughed with Cera's comment. Littlefoot, however, also could tell how uncomfortable Cera was with the subject.

"Well then, if everyone's okay with it," Littlefoot happily said, "Then at least you guys will always have us to trust and count on!"

"Still, I miss Mama…" Ducky sighed sadly.

"Yeah, Petrie miss Mama too," Petrie added.

"Well maybe," Littlefoot told them hopefully. "If you give your parents enough time, they might learn to accept your love for each other!"

"Maybe that happen," Petrie said hopefully.

"Oh, I hope you are right, I do!" Ducky exclaimed.

But then, all of a sudden, they heard a strange, eager noise. Looking toward the big water, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Petrie saw that Spike was jumping up and down a little ways away from them, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Spike sees something, yep yep yep!" Ducky gasped. Everyone quickly ran towards Spike, who was waiting for them happily.

"Look at this!" Littlefoot gasped, looking at the ground. Everyone looked, and saw a long, peculiar trail of small, three-toed footprints. "These must be young sharptooth footprints!"

"Chomper must have been here!" Ducky gasped.

"And look over here!" Cera gasped. They looked a little ways away from them to find a helter-sceltered jumble of longneck tracks half-covered by the big water that went in the same direction as the sharptooth tracks.

"These are…longneck footprints!" Ducky gasped.

Suddenly, an unpleasant thought came to Littlefoot. He thought of the possibility that if they could see footprints right near the big water's edge, it was probably low tide when the footprints were made. And if that was the case, Littlefoot realized that there could have been other footprints made at the same time that would now be covered up by the big water. Gulping, Littlefoot realized that the whole search party could be following Chomper's trail. Littlefoot sighed, not wanting to imagine what could happen if that were true.

"Is anything wrong Littlefoot?" Ducky asked him gently.

Littlefoot sighed sadly, causing everyone else's expressions to soften in concern. "I'm afraid…the grownups might be following Chomper's tracks… they might have walked here during low tide…we wouldn't be able to see all of their tracks because the water would cover them up…and if the grownups have been following Chomper's trail…" he sighed, and then he couldn't help but to bend down sadly and cry.

"Littlefoot, stop worrying so much," said a gentle yet firm voice by his side, and he felt a familiar warm presence as Cera softly rubbed her cheek against his. "Don't give up yet, Littlefoot… you're just making a lot of assumptions that we don't have any proof of. I'm sure Chomper's fine, we just need to keep on going and I know we'll be able to find him."

"You're sure about that?" Littlefoot asked Cera.

"Well, yeah! I'm right about everything," Cera told Littlefoot smugly.

Littlefoot couldn't help but to smirk and replied, "No you're not."

Cera shot back, "I am too!", and gave Littlefoot a little shove.

Littlefoot, smiling, replied, "You are not!" and gave Cera a shove back.

"Am too!" Cera argued, giving him another shove and talking a bit faster.

"Are not!" Littlefoot said, also shoving her and talking a bit faster.

"Am too!"

"Are not!"

"Amtoo!"

"Amnot!"

"Mtoo!"

"Mnot!"

They continued on and on, shoving each other back and forth and playfully arguing nonstop, to the point where they were speaking indistinguishably over each other and were struggling not to laugh. Meanwhile, Ducky, Petrie and Spike couldn't help but to snicker at them.

"What's so funny!" Cera asked indignantly.

"Gotcha!" Littlefoot playfully gasped, taking advantage of Cera's moment off guard, gave her a shove that caused her to gasp and fall bellyfirst onto the ground.

Cera then got up and, playfully growled, "Oh no you don't!" and leaped at Littlefoot. Littlefoot tried bracing himself, but Cera's jump was too powerful and he felt himself pushed up into the air. Unfortunately for Cera, she leaped at Littlefoot with such vigor that she couldn't control where she was going and soon she began falling herself. Gasping together, they shrieked as they landed with an enormous splash as they landed in the big water, and then they looked at each other's soaking forms and joined Ducky, Petrie and Spike in laughing hysterically.

Littlefoot then smiled at Cera and told her, "Thanks Cera… I shouldn't give up so soon…"

"Yeah, do not give up yet," Ducky piped up. "Maybe the changing tides actually helped Chomper. Maybe they covered up Chomper's footprints while the grownups were looking for him. The grownups cannot see his tracks when the big water covers them up, and they would go looking in a different direction, they would."

Littlefoot smiled, and apart from sounding positive, that Cera's and Ducky's points made sense. "Thanks guys…I feel much better now."

"Aww, do not mention it," Ducky replied happily.

"Now, are we going to help Chomper or not?" Cera asked determinedly. "Let's get going!"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike continued to carefully follow the path of sharptooth footprints. They noticed that while the longneck footprints kept on going the same way as the sharptooth ones, they couldn't see any other footprints that would've been there if a whole herd was on the pursuit.

"Maybe the grownups splitted up," Ducky told Littlefoot brightly. "If only one longneck followed Chomper, he can get away easily, yep yep yep."

Littlefoot smiled with that thought, and appreciated Ducky's infectious optimism. "Thanks Ducky," Littlefoot began to tell her, but before he could say another word, Petrie flew in front of Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike, and he began to shiver intensely.

"Petrie think….that we in big trouble!" Petrie declared, his eyes bulging with fear.

"What is it, Petrie?" Littlefoot asked nervously as Cera, Ducky and Spike looked at him anxiously.

Petrie paused for a moment, chattering and shivering in anguish, before shouting, "Sss…shh…sharpteeth!"


	14. Fast Biter Attack!

Chapter 14: Fast Biter Attack!

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike turned and gasped. Looking above them, they saw that a pack of a dozen fast biters was closing in on them from the surrounding cliffs. Every single one of them was licking its lips, readying its claws, and snarling threateningly.

"Oh no! We in big trouble!" Petrie gasped in terror as he continued to shudder and shiver.

"I do not like sharpteeth, no no no!" Ducky gasped just as worriedly. Then she and Petrie hugged each other and screamed in terror.

"Come on, you scaredy eggs!" Cera shouted boldly, stomping her foot and grinning determinedly. "We can take 'em on!"

Ducky and Petrie stopped screaming and looked nervously at Cera. "But there twelve of them and only five of us!" Petrie gasped.

"I don't think we have a choice," Littlefoot told them seriously, and he looked at the vast expanse of big water on the only side where they were not surrounded by fast biters. "We don't have any way to escape, so we're going to have to fight them off! We've got to try to be brave guys, for Chomper needs us!"

Ducky and Petrie nodded nervously, and though Littlefoot could tell they were trying to be brave, they still understandably looked scared. Littlefoot felt a little scared himself, but the thought of Chomper needing them made him feel determined to fight. But before anyone could make another move, three fast biters leapt off the cliff and onto the ground, quickly advancing toward Ducky and Petrie, with their teeth gnashing and claws twitching.

"Oh no!" Ducky and Petrie gasped, shivering and hugging each other, terrified.

"I love you, Ducky!" Petrie cried, embracing her tightly.

"I love you too Petrie!" Ducky gasped, embracing him just as tight.

But then, Spike ran forward and blocked the fast biters from attacking Ducky and Petrie, leering at them aggressively and swinging his spiky tail back and forth. The fast biters paused and looked at each other uncertainly, and in their moment of hesitation, Spike charged forward and rammed his head against one of the fast biters, causing it to crash into the cliffs and knocking it out cold.

"Yay Spike! You got the sharptooth, yep yep yep!" Ducky cheered, jumping up and down. Boosted with Spike's triumph, she and Petrie now felt much better. With renewed confidence, the two of them glared at the fast biters determinedly and stood by Spike's side as they prepared to join the fight. The other two fast biters roared in fury, and lunged in to try and bite Spike. But Spike quickly grabbed a log nearby him with his mouth and whacked one of the fast biters on the head with it, while spiking the other one away with his tail.

"Wow Spike! You are a good fighter, you are!" Ducky exclaimed gleefully. Spike happily smiled at Ducky for a second before they heard some ominous rustling on the ground. The fast biter that Spike had hit on the head managed to get back up, but before it could do anything, Ducky shouted, "You will not hurt my brother!" And with that, Ducky struck the sharptooth with her tail, knocking it out and causing many of its bones to break. Then she, Spike, and Petrie turned to face the fast biters still standing above them.

At that moment, another fast biter jumped off the cliff and fixed its gaze on Petrie. Growling viciously, the sharptooth took a lunge at Petrie, who hurriedly flew up into the air and managed to narrowly dodge its bite. However, the fast biter was not giving up, for it kept on staring at Petrie hungrily. "Spike, give me the log!" Ducky gasped urgently, and Spike quickly dropped it in her hands. With extraordinary speed and vigor, Ducky slammed the unsuspecting fast biter on the head with her log. "You will not hurt Petrie, no, no no!" Ducky shouted, swinging her log from side to side. The fast biter screeched in pain and toppled over just as another one jumped over its body to lunge at Ducky.

"Oh no you don't!" Petrie gasped, and while it was in midjump, Petrie caught the fast biter with his feet, and with the fast biter still flailing, Petrie flew off with it to the middle of the big water. Petrie then hurled the fast biter into the big water, where it plummeted and quickly drowned. Petrie then flew back, grabbed one of the unconscious fast biters, and threw it to the big water where it drowned just like the first one. Within a couple of minutes, he had managed to carry away the remaining unconscious fast biters and drop them all in the big water.

Meanwhile, the other seven fast biters had managed to chase Littlefoot and Cera away from the rest of the group. These fast biters had managed to corner Littlefoot and Cera by the big water, and standing hungrily on the surrounding cliffs, the fast biters growled and bared their teeth menacingly as they prepared to attack.

"Let's go get 'em!" Cera shouted determinedly, lifting her head daringly. One of the fast biters jumped off the cliff, but Cera quickly caught it with her horns and threw it into the big water. "Hee!" Cera laughed in triumph as she saw that the fast biter sunk with a big splash. A second fast biter jumped off the cliff and lunged straight at Littlefoot, but before he could respond, Cera stabbed it with her horn. The fast biter keeled over on her frill and Cera vigorously threw it in the big water, where it too drowned.

"You rockheads dare to take us on or not!" Cera jeered at the remaining five fast biters, grinning daringly**. **The fast biters looked at each other, growled, and at once, the five of them launched a joint attack on Cera.

Cera gasped, and privately, she wondered how she could manage to stab five sharpteeth at once. But then Littlefoot growled, "Don't you dare hurt her!" and with passion and fury, he readied his whiplike tail. Gritting his teeth in concentration, he managed to use his tail to slam four of the five fast biters. The fast biters instantly lost their balance and became unconscious, and Littlefoot hit them so hard that they flew far over him and plunged harshly into the big water. At the same time, Cera managed to stab the fifth fast biter and she hurled it out to the big water, where it joined the other fast biters into falling to the bottom.

"Whew! They're all gone!" Littlefoot said triumphantly, breathing in relief. Then he and Cera turned and saw that Ducky, Petrie, and Spike had successfully defeated all of their sharpteeth. Upon seeing that Littlefoot and Cera had defeated their sharpteeth too, Ducky, Petrie and Spike began to rush over to them, grinning happily. "Yay!" Ducky cheered. "They are all gone, they are!"

"Great job, everyone!" Littlefoot exclaimed, but just as everyone was about to celebrate…

"Littlefoot, look out!" Cera cried out. Everyone looked up, and a split second later, a thirteenth fast biter was launching itself right at Littlefoot's back, with its daggerlike claws on both its hands and legs at the ready. But before it could lay a claw on Littlefoot, Cera leaped up and tackled it, slamming it to the ground and pinning its tail down with her front feet. She growled fiercely as she stomped on the fast biter's neck with her back feet, cutting off its air supply. The fast biter gasped and groaned as it struggled to breathe. But with the little energy it had, the fast biter had managed to bring its head upward just enough to bite Cera on her back left foot.

A blood-curdling scream rang out, and everyone gasped in horror as Cera slumped forward and limply landed on her belly. At once, an icy chill ran down Littlefoot's spine. Furiously, he growled and glared at the fast biter with eyes of pure hatred, and he hurriedly charged towards the fast biter, which, while weakened from Cera's attack, seemed to be determined to bite her again. But before the fast biter could make another move, Littlefoot grabbed it with all the vigor he could muster and he hurled it out into the big water, where it quickly sunk with a huge splash.

Then Littlefoot bent down next to Cera and sniffled as he saw that her eyes were closed and her legs sprawled over the ground, with her bitten foot bleeding profusely. He focused all of his attention on her as he asked nervously, "Cera…Cera, are you okay?"

But Cera did not respond. She just was lying there like she was a rock, and a hollow feeling surged through Littlefoot's heart as he looked down at the lifeless form of the one he loved.


	15. A Place to Rest

Author's Note: I might be updating chapters at a slightly slower pace, but I should still be updating regularly!

Chapter 15: A Place to Rest

Cera lay still on the ground, with her eyes closed and her mouth open, and Littlefoot stared at her sadly, with tears rolling down his face. Nothing, not even his last nightmare, could prepare him for the despair he felt upon seeing Cera like this. He had felt like this only once before, when he saw his mother die, and the thought of Cera dying felt like he was reliving those tragic moments all over again.

"Cera, get up," Littlefoot cried desperately as he stared at her listless body. His tears softly landed on her cheek, but she didn't seem to notice at all.

Ducky, Spike, and Petrie walked over to Cera and they all looked sadly down at her limp body. "Oh poor Cera… poor poor Cera," Ducky cried.

"Petrie miss her already!" Petrie added, crying into his wing. "Cera was good friend!"

"Yeah… and she was so brave," Littlefoot hiccuped miserably. "Just like my mom…."

Ducky, Petrie, and Spike nodded consolingly and looked at Cera sadly. Littlefoot then put his head down and looked at Cera's lifeless face. He wanted to rub his head against Cera's for one last time, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He wasn't ready to say that final goodbye yet.

"Poor Cera," Ducky continued, feeling Cera's limp body. But then she gasped and to everyone's surprise, she smiled brightly. Then she exclaimed, "Wait! Cera is alive! She is breathing, she is, she is!"

"Really?" Littlefoot asked, his heart soaring.

"Oh yes!" Ducky answered happily.

Hardly daring to believe it, he brought himself to rub his cheek against Cera's, and found to his immense relief that Cera's cheek still felt warm. Just then, Cera's bright green eyes slowly flickered and began to open. She felt an odd, comforting sensation as she got adjusted to being awake, and then she looked over to her side and noticed that Littlefoot's cheek was rubbing against hers.

Cera instantly turned red and asked, "Hey! Littlefoot, why are you doing that?"

Littlefoot began to cry again, but this time, it was tears of relief that were coming out of his eyes. Ducky and Petrie hugged each other and cheered, and Spike gave Cera a big lick on her face.

"I'm just so happy you're alive, that's all!" Littlefoot laughed delightedly.

"It takes more than a sharptooth bite to stop a threehorn," Cera began in her usual proud voice, and she tried to stand up, but her voice slipped off as she toppled onto the ground again.

"Cera," Littlefoot asked concernedly, looking down at her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Cera answered with all the confidence she could muster. She sighed in exhaustion and told Littlefoot, "I…I just need to let my foot recover. A little rest and I'll be ready to go."

"Okay Cera," Littlefoot told her gently. "I'll carry you while we look for a place for you to take a rest, how does that sound?"

Normally Cera would have argued with being carried, but she was too exhausted to argue with him. "Fine," she told Littlefoot listlessly.

Littlefoot smiled softly and he gently picked Cera up by the frill, and he carefully placed her on his back as they walked down the path. They were still going in the same direction as the sharptooth and longneck footprints, but they hardly cared about the footprints anymore for their main concern was to find a good place for Cera to rest and heal her foot.

Though she normally disliked being carried, Cera couldn't help but to feel grateful to Littlefoot for carrying her. Not that she'd ever admit it, but the fast biter delivered an awfully nasty bite to her foot, and the pain was causing her to wince and gasp in excruciation. But some of the pain began to fade away after she began to rest on Littlefoot's back. Cera smiled as she thought about how great a friend Littlefoot was, and she felt his warm body move gently onward while she rested her head on his back and smiling softly, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

"Me fly on ahead and look for resting place," Petrie told Littlefoot, Ducky, and Spike. Petrie took off and flew a little above the others, looking both on the path they were on and on the cliff above for a nice place for Cera to rest. After not seeing anything immediately, Petrie flew a little farther down the path, looking down the sandy trail to see if he could find a good resting spot. He shook his head dejectedly, as unfortunately, most of the area below the cliff was the same narrow, hot sandy path, and most of the area above on the cliff was open desert with not much green food that was often covered with sharptooth footprints. He could instantly tell that these places were hardly ones where Cera could recover in peace. But after a while of searching, Petrie noticed a small grassy hill that was covered with golden flowers, had a crystal-clear lake at the bottom, had a large, dense forest nearby, and a small but wide cave that overlooked the hill. He could tell at once that this was the perfect spot for Cera to rest.

Petrie flew back eagerly to find that the others were not very far behind him. "Me find place!" Petrie called out excitedly. "It above on cliff! And it look real good!"

Littlefoot lifted his head up to look above the cliff, and he gasped with delight. "You're right, Petrie!" he exclaimed. "This place is perfect!"

The group stopped and Littlefoot affectionately lifted Cera off of his back and gently placed her onto the cliff above them. Littlefoot smiled when he saw that Cera was still in a deep sleep, and that she was smiling contentedly while breathing deeply and peacefully. Spike then proceeded to find and chop down an exceptionally thick and sturdy log which he, Littlefoot, and Ducky climbed on while Petrie flew to the top.

Placing his head by Cera's sleeping body, Littlefoot gently picked her up by the frill, trying his hardest to not wake her up. He felt her warm body continue to breathe deeply and sleep rumble softly as he smoothly walked to the cave. Upon arriving at the cave, Littlefoot carefully placed Cera on the soft, dirt floor, facing the cave's entrance, which allowed her to have a view of the grassy outside while remaining in the cool cavern. Ducky then walked behind Cera and bent down on her knees to bandage Cera's foot with a soft leaf, making sure that it was wrapped tight enough to stay put and to help stop the bleeding.

After a little while, Cera woke up again. "Hi guys! I'm ready to go," Cera told them, her eyes flashing with determination. She turned, stood up, and walked a few paces, before she fell on the ground again, this time facing the cave wall. "Grr…" she growled. "My foot can manage!" Cera shouted as she tried to stand up again, but as she tried to take a step, her knees shook and she fell back on the ground.

"Cera, you need to rest a bit longer, you do," Ducky told her. "You need to pay attention to what your body is telling you."

Cera nodded frustratedly, and Ducky kindly told her, "Do not worry Cera. I am going to find lots and lots of tree stars for dinner that will make you feel much better, I will."

"Me come too!" Petrie exclaimed, and he and Ducky hurried out of the cave. Spike, who had been licking his lips since he heard the first mention of treestars, followed the two of them out excitedly. This left Littlefoot and Cera alone in the cave together.

"Thanks for saving my life, Cera," Littlefoot told her gently.

Cera smiled weakly, and said, "Of course I'd save your life…just like you'd do for me. Oh, and Littlefoot, thanks for carrying me up here," Cera told Littlefoot as she smiled and looked into his eyes.

"Don't mention it," Littlefoot told her kindly. He smiled affectionately at her for a second, before saying, "You were really something today…those fast biters sure were scared!"

Cera laughed. "Well, that's what happens when you mess with a threehorn," she began to say, but then, she made an exhausted grunt and her eyes drooped again. Quietly, she mumbled, "Littlefoot…I think I need some rest."

"I understand, Cera. I'll see you soon, I promise," Littlefoot told her softly. "Be careful with your leg."

Cera nodded feebly, and then Littlefoot left the cavern, leaving Cera to rest peacefully. But while her body could relax, Cera's heart was never more restless in her life.


	16. Cera's Inner Struggle

Chapter 16: Cera's Inner Struggle

*Note: This chapter is from Cera's POV*

I wish I could've been able to move. But no, my foot was telling me that I needed to rest. Knowing it would be no good trying, I had no choice but to remain lying down. Then, a gentle, determined voice popped up in my head. "_Come on Cera, you can't be hiding from your feelings any longer… it's time to start thinking about how you really feel"._

I groaned. Normally I don't stop to reflect, but right then, I couldn't do anything else thanks to my foot. And besides, I had a decision to make. A decision that would affect me for the rest of my life. I sighed, closed my eyes, and reluctantly, began to think. It was so much nicer when he was there with me. Whenever he was by my side, I felt a special feeling of warmth that I've never felt with anyone else.

Then, a second, skeptical voice spoke in my head. "_Don't be silly, Cera. You can't possibly be feeling this way. You two are friends, but you're nothing more than that. You're a threehorn. He's a longneck. There's no way you can possibly be in love with him."_

The determined, passionate part of me argued, _"Yes, but species isn't everything. It kept you closed to the possibility of befriending him for a long time."_

_ "It's different though," _the skeptical part of me countered._ "Being friends with each other is one thing. But falling in love…threehorns don't fall in love with longnecks."_

_ "But,"_ the passionate part of me added, _"Look at Ducky and Petrie. They're different species, but that doesn't matter to them. And besides that type of think_ing _is why you were so close-minded before you got to know him. You didn't want to befriend him because you thought threehorns should never play with anyone but other threehorns. It wasn't a belief you made for yourself, it was just an old belief that was passed on to you, but aren't you glad that you're not following it anymore?"_

_ "Yes," _the skeptical part of me admitted, _"But that doesn't mean I'm in love with him at all!"_

_ "Think carefully," _my passionate part countered. _"Can you imagine Littlefoot with someone else?"_

I gasped as memories came flooding through my head. I remembered the first time I met Ali, and how I was instantly jealous that Littlefoot paid so much attention to her instead of me. And even just a couple of days ago, I still was very annoyed when Littlefoot went off to see Ali instead of staying by my side. Then I remembered how mad I was when I heard Littlefoot's grandparents talking about marrying him off, and how I yelled at Cam and Mia when they talked about marrying him.

_"It's just because you care about him because he's your friend," _the skeptical part of me countered.

"_But," _my passionate part nagged, "_Would any of your other friends react quite like you did?"_

_ "No,"_ my skeptical side admitted. _"But that doesn't mean…"_

_ "Could you honestly imagine a life without him?" _my passionate side interrupted.

I thought about that for a little while. I smiled when I thought about all the times that Littlefoot and I spent together, from our adventures to the Mysterious Beyond to our casual, fun games to the times where we just laid down on the grass and enjoyed each other's company. Whenever I was close to Littlefoot, I felt a special sort of warmth coming from him. His eyes, deep, brown and glittering like shiny stones, always looked so caring and kind and though I would never admit it, I always felt more secure when I was by his side. Then I thought about all of the sleep stories I had about him. As much as I try to ignore my sleep stories, I couldn't with the ones with him in them. They always provided unforgettable feelings… feelings that I couldn't bring myself to talk to anyone else about.

Then I remembered my last fight, and how determined I was to stop that fast biter from hurting him. I realized then that without Littlefoot, I wouldn't be the same threehorn I am today. Though I couldn't admit it to him, Littlefoot helped me overcome many of my biggest faults from when I was a little kid. He helped free me from the bigotry that my dad taught me to feel since I was an egg. And he showed me patience and kindness even in the toughest times, tempering my hotheadedness just enough to allow me to enjoy lifelong friendships with not only him, but also with all of my other friends. Without him, I would never have had those experiences, and I knew I would've ended up being more bitter and mad at the world. And to imagine the rest of my life without him… to imagine him being away from me forever, in some far off herd… that would be terrible. And to imagine him by my side...spending all of our lives together, experiencing life at its fullest…that would be wonderful…

"I love him," I whispered quietly. I gasped to myself, startled beyond words. I couldn't believe I said those words aloud! Hurriedly, I looked behind me to make sure no one was there. Luckily no one was, so I continued to think to myself. My heart was racing upon realizing this, but as soon as I whispered it, I knew for certain that I really was in love with him, and for much longer than I realized.

Sighing to myself, I closed my eyes again. The skeptical part of me then spoke in my head, _"Cera, maybe you love him, but you can't really expect to go on with this. Your father is never going to accept your love for him."_

I groaned with the thought. No matter how mad I was with Dad, I really cared about him, and I was beginning to miss him already. But I also knew that Dad would never accept my love for Littlefoot. I heard his ranting voice from yesterday ringing in my ears, _"No daughter of mine will ever be. involved in a…in a…vulgar relationship!"_

"_Maybe you can't convince Dad,"_ my passionate side replied. _"But Littlefoot wouldn't mind this type of relationship. He was delighted to find that Ducky and Petrie were in love because he knew that they would be happy together. It wouldn't matter to Littlefoot. He's always so tolerant and open… also traits that he showed you in life."_

_ "But if you were to marry him, you'd be exiled from the Great Valley forever! You wouldn't be safe from sharpteeth anymore, and you wouldn't be able to see your family ever again!" _my skeptical side argued.

_ "But if you go back, it wouldn't feel like the Great Valley anymore. Ducky and Petrie are in love with each other, and since their love won't be accepted, they can't return to the Great Valley. Spike would follow them of course, since he's Ducky's brother. And Littlefoot? If you return, your dad will make sure you'll never see him, and that's assuming he won't be forced to join some far-off longneck herd. So if you go back Cera, you wouldn't be able to see your friends again, including Littlefoot, and it wouldn't feel like the Great Valley anymore," _my passionate side replied.

I frowned when I thought about that prospect. I would be back where I started before I took that journey to the Great Valley, without anyone to trust or confide in. Before I met Littlefoot, I never was really happy. And I wondered, without him, would I ever really be happy again?

I shook my head, and I knew that I had only one choice. If Dad wouldn't accept me being with Littlefoot, the only thing to do would be for Littlefoot and I to live away from him and the Great Valley. Just one other thing nagged at me. _"What would Littlefoot do if you asked him? If he rejected you, would he even be your friend anymore?"_

_"Of course he would, Cera," _my passionate side replied. _"Littlefoot is very loyal and tolerant, especially to you, so he won't mind if you ask him. I think something else is there, Cera, that isn't letting you tell him."_

I thought about that for a moment, and I realized. "I'm too proud," I whispered. I always felt insecure with sharing my inner feelings and darkest secrets. They showed my vulnerable side, which didn't go well with the confident image that I always tried to show to others as well as to myself. I thought to myself, _"I can't do it… I can't tell him how I really feel about him. If I give my heart to him and he rejects it, I'll never feel like the same brave threehorn again. He'll just think I'm being silly, and I'll be embarrassed of myself forever."_

_ "Cera, you're always trying so hard to be brave," _my passionate side replied_. "This is your chance to show yourself that you're just as brave as you say you are."_

I nodded nervously, dreading what I knew would have to come. Just then, I heard some footsteps behind me. Turning, I saw Littlefoot walking to me, crouching down to fit through the cave. He was carrying some pretty periwinkle flowers and he bent down to place them in front of me.

"I found you some healing flowers," Littlefoot told me gently. "I've been looking for them all day. They'll help heal your injury."

"Thanks," I told Littlefoot, and I slowly nibbled a flower, while keeping an eye on Littlefoot at the same time. My heart began to beat rapidly as he crouched down by my side, and I felt that refreshing warmth course through me again.

Littlefoot then pushed the rocks in front of us with his front feet, and abruptly, the cave wall crumbled, revealing a beautiful sunset overlooking a hill that was covered with pretty yellow flowers swaying peacefully in the wind, and a small lake at its bottom.

"It's a beautiful view," I told Littlefoot as I ate another flower. My foot felt stronger, and at the same time, so did my heart.

"Yeah it is," Littlefoot told me softly. The two of us just sat there, side by side, and looked out onto the hill and watched the dancing flowers.

As we stared out and sat very close to each other, I saw Littlefoot open his mouth, looking like he was just about to say something, hesitating, and then closing his mouth again. I looked at him curiously, for he looked just as nervous as I felt.

"Littlefoot, what's the matter?" I asked, my heart pounding with each word.

Littlefoot opened his mouth to answer, but then he shut it again nervously. He nervously sat there for a couple of seconds. But then he looked right into my eyes and he began to speak. "Cera...I've got to tell you something. I don't know how to tell you this, but…I really care about you. You've always meant everything to me, and… to this day, I always feel happiest when I'm with you."

I couldn't believe my ears. Was he really thinking what I thought he was? I looked in disbelief at him, and I asked him, "You…you really mean that?"

Littlefoot nodded, and his warm, gentle voice whispered in my ear, "Of course, I do… Cera…everything about you is just…wonderful, and… I can't imagine my life with anyone else. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that…I love you Cera."

My heart soared as I looked into his bright, shiny-stone like eyes, which were now sparkling with stars. I felt my eyes tear up with joy, and I smiled and stuttered, "I…I feel the same way, Littlefoot."

We smiled at each other, feeling so delighted that at that moment, we didn't ever want to do anything else but to stare into each other's starry eyes. Then, we slowly rubbed our heads together, closed our eyes, and we put our lips together and we enjoyed the most wonderful sensation ever imaginable as a great surge of warmth and happiness pulsed through my body. And at that moment, I knew that the two of us would always be in each other's hearts forever.


	17. A Future Together

Chapter 17: A Future Together

Littlefoot and Cera continued to sit closely to each other at the edge of the cave, putting their front feet together, snuggling against each other's warm, comforting bodies, sighing and smiling affectionately, and lovingly staring into each other's eyes. Time gently drifted along and the bright circle slowly started to set, but Littlefoot and Cera hardly noticed, for they were deeply absorbed with each other, finally enjoying their magical moments that they have dreamed of for a long time. They only broke apart from each other when they heard a couple of familiar voices behind them. Turning, Littlefoot and Cera saw that Ducky, Petrie and Spike were hurrying into the cave, and Ducky was carrying a huge leaf that sunk with the weight of being filled to the brim with tree stars.

"Hey! Littlefoot! Cera! We got a whole bunch of treestars for dinner, we did, yep yep yep!" Ducky exclaimed brightly.

"Thanks guys!" Littlefoot exclaimed cheerily.

"Me think you two really happy," Petrie noticed, smiling at Littlefoot and Cera.

"Oh yes yes yes, I think you are happy too!" Ducky exclaimed.

"We are," Littlefoot told Ducky and Petrie happily, and he and Cera looked each other, smiled brightly and at once, they both exclaimed, "We're in love with each other!"

Ducky and Petrie gasped, and then they smiled at each other and looked back at Littlefoot and Cera in amazement. "Wow… me thought we the only ones!" Petrie gasped in disbelief.

"Guess you're wrong then!" Cera smiled happily. Then to everyone's amazement, after just a little bit of effort, she managed to push herself off the ground and stand up again, and then she managed to walk comfortably for a few steps.

Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie and Spike gasped as Cera smiled and to their shock, she managed to walk outside and over to a grassy clearing a little ways away, moving her recovering foot from side to side, delighted to be able to use it again. Hurriedly, everyone ran outside to join Cera. Ducky excitedly told her, "Cera, you seem to be doing much, much better! I will take a look to see how your injury is doing, I will." She then put down her carrying leaf, walked over to Cera, bent down and untied her bandage. As Ducky removed Cera's bandage, she gasped in delight. Cera's foot looked almost completely normal, with only a faint trace of red showing where she had been bitten.

"Cera, you look much, much better now!" Ducky exclaimed. "Your injury is almost gone!" With Ducky's announcement, everyone cheered.

"I feel better too!" Cera told them energetically, stretching her legs and walking with increased comfort. "Come on, let's have dinner!"

Ducky nodded happily and she brought the carrying leaf over as everyone else sat down. She then laid the leaf out in front of them, causing everyone to gasp as a huge pile of treestars came into view. As everyone looked down at the pile of treestars that Ducky, Petrie and Spike had collected, they all remembered how hungry they were. None of them had the chance to relax and have a full meal since their final dinner in the Great Valley over a day ago. And adding to their hunger, the treestars sat invitingly on top of the large leaf, shimmering in the evening light and almost asking to be eaten.

"These are nice, fresh tree stars, they have sky water on them! I eated a couple and they taste very, very good, they do," Ducky exclaimed, rubbing her stomach as it began to rumble. Spike couldn't stand the temptation of the treestars anymore, and with gusto he stretched out his head and grabbed a huge mouthful of treestars. He looked very silly as he ate, for his cheeks bulged with all of the treestars that he had stuffed in his mouth. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Petrie happily laughed as Spike's eyes bulged and his mouth began to make silly expressions as he happily digested the treestars, feeling very happy that he was making his friends laugh.

"Looks like Spike's telling us it's time to eat!" Ducky giggled, and everyone else leaned forward and dove in. Upon eating the treestars, everyone realized that Ducky was right about their taste. The tree stars were so delicious that only a little bit later, the huge pile of treestars was all gone, for everyone couldn't help but to quickly gorge on the luscious green food. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Petrie all ate so much that Spike didn't manage to get his usually much larger portion. "Spike is okay," Ducky explained to Littlefoot and Cera after they finished the food as they noticed that Spike still looked a little hungry. "He had plenty of treestars on the trip to get them, he did."

But while the treestars tasted delicious and everyone's hunger was finally satisfied, those reasons alone weren't the reason why this dinner felt especially wonderful. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie were all thinking delightedly about how their secret crushes that they'd been holding onto had finally blossomed into romantic relationships, and they smiled as they all relived the joyous moments when they realized that their feelings were shared by their lover. The start of their new relationships, coupled with Cera recovering from her injury, the great-tasting treestars, and the relaxing atmosphere of the hillside put everyone in a very good mood.

"Mmm…those were the yummiest treestars I've ever tasted!" Littlefoot exclaimed happily as everyone else nodded vigorously. Then he turned to Ducky, Petrie and Spike and added, "Thanks for finding them guys!"

Ducky smiled, "You're welcome!" Then she turned to Spike and told him, "Spike, you can have the big leaf, you can!"

Spike nodded excitedly, and Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie smiled and relaxed as they watched Spike joyfully eat the large leaf that had carried all the tree stars. Spike licked his lips happily as he finished, before he yawned, toppled over, and fell asleep, making loud, happy sleep rumbles.

Nightfall quickly fell over them, and Spike, full between his earlier snacks, dinner, and the carrying leaf for dessert, was all filled up and remained sound asleep. But Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie were all wide awake, sitting together on the hill with Spike sleeping by their side, and marveling at the twinkling, shiny stars in the great night sky while glowing buzzers peacefully glided around them.

"Well, I guess we're all on the same log now," Littlefoot smiled as he and Cera rubbed their heads against each other, closing their eyes in delight.

"I still cannot believe that you two are also in love!" Ducky exclaimed happily as she and Petrie hugged each other.

"Neither can I…and on top of it all, with a longneck!" Cera jokingly teased as Littlefoot, Petrie, and Ducky laughed along with her. Soon afterward though, Petrie sighed sadly and he looked at the ground.

"What's wrong Petrie?" Littlefoot asked him in concern.

"Me still worried. The grownups will be very, very mad at us!" Petrie replied.

"Don't worry Petrie, I think your mom will be fine if you give her time to get used to it. Same with your mom Ducky," Littlefoot told Petrie and Ducky comfortingly. Then he sighed, looked at the ground sadly, and told Cera, "But I don't know if your dad would ever accept me though."

"So what if he doesn't?" Cera told Littlefoot firmly. "Don't feel bad, Littlefoot, it's not your fault. My dad has always been an old grump, and he's just so stubborn! He even tried to take our family away from the Great Valley just to get me away from you. And your grandparents aren't much better, Littlefoot."

"Why?" Littlefoot asked, taken aback, and he stared at Cera worriedly.

"I overheard them talking about marrying you off to another longneck," Cera told him. "They were even talking about Mia and Cam."

Littlefoot frowned thoughtfully, and then he remembered how excited his grandparents were whenever Ali came to talk to him, or how well they seemed to tolerate Mia and Cam. "They can't do that," Littlefoot gasped desperately. "They can't take me away from you, Cera!"

"Well, we won't let them!" Cera exclaimed, stomping her foot determinedly. "If the grownups won't tolerate our love, then we won't be going back!"

"Petrie like that idea!" Petrie replied excitedly. "We just live right here in special place!"

"I like it too," Ducky piped up. "And so will Spike. There is lots of green food for him here, yep yep yep!"

"Then it's settled!" Cera declared. "Once we save Chomper and Ruby from the grownups…"

"And if the grownups won't accept our love for each other, we'll all live…" Littlefoot continued.

"Together!" everyone cheered in unison.

And bathed in the bright light of the night circle, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie each rubbed against their lover affectionately, smiling contentedly and staring off at the great night sky as they hopefully dreamed of their futures together.


	18. An Old Friend Helps Out

Chapter 18: An Old Friend Helps Out

After a good night's sleep, the bright circle rose again, gently shining its light down on everyone. Waking up with the early morning light, Littlefoot yawned and slowly opened his eyes. His leg was warmly wrapped over Cera's back, and he smiled softly as he saw that Cera was breathing deeply and smiling contentedly while she slept. He looked over at Ducky and Petrie and saw that the two of them were also sleeping together, and that they were tightly snuggling each other as they slept. Spike was sleeping on Ducky's other side, his mouth happily hanging open as he sleep rumbled loudly. Littlefoot smiled to himself, and looked back down at Cera, deciding to get a little more rest while reliving the past day in his head and reflecting on how wonderful it had been…

Then Littlefoot heard a pair of voices from the distance. Littlefoot tried to ignore them at first, but he couldn't for he could tell that the conversation between them seemed to be very tense. Worrying that it might be two of the grownups looking for them, Littlefoot carefully lifted his head up so he didn't wake Cera up and he tried to listen in."Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Littlefoot recognized the voice to be Cam's, though she sounded far more serious than Littlefoot had ever heard her before.

"Yes. Now get on with it Cam. We can't turn back now." Littlefoot recognized that voice to be Mia's, and who like Cam also sounded very serious.

"But we'll be killing!" Cam shouted.

"Hush, Cam!" Mia hissed. "Now look, it's all part of the deal. They helped get the sharptooth out. Now we've got to finish the job. If we don't, that'll only lead to trouble," Mia replied.

Littlefoot thought carefully, trying to understand what Cam and Mia were talking about. Then a thought came to his head, and with his heart pounding, he gasped, abruptly stood up and shouted, "Oh no!"

At once, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike began to stir, and they woke up, murmuring drowsily.

"What's going on?" Cera asked groggily, her eyes still half closed. "I was trying to get some sleep…"

"It's Cam and Mia!" Littlefoot cried out. "I just heard them talking… they're planning on killing Chomper!"

With that, everyone awoke with a start and looked at each other in horror. Ducky gasped, "Oh no no no! This is not good, it is not!"

"We have to stop them!" Cera added angrily.

"Me fly ahead to spy on and them and warn Chomper!" Petrie told the others, and he flew off with gusto.

"Come on!" Littlefoot shouted. "I heard their voices from over there. Let's go follow them!" Everyone nodded determinedly, and with great speed, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike jumped off the edge of the short cliff they were on and hurried down the sandy path, where they could still make out the path of longneck and sharptooth footprints.

"I knew that those flatheads were up to no good," Cera growled angrily.

"Guys, look at this!" Ducky exclaimed abruptly. Everyone turned to look at her, and she pointed to the ground at the same helter-sceltered set of longneck footprints that they had been following for the past day. "Look at the longneck footprints," Ducky gasped in shock. "We are going the same way as the footprints, yep yep yep. What if these footprints are theirs?"

"Then how come there's only one set of longneck footprints?" Cera asked, looking at the single trail of longneck footprints.

"I do not know," Ducky sighed. "But whoever made these footprints must be nearby, these footprints do not seem old."

"I have an idea," Littlefoot exclaimed."Since Cam and Mia are smaller longnecks like me, they should have footprints about my size. I'll compare these footprints to mine and see if they match up."

"Good idea, Littlefoot!" Ducky exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's try it out!" Cera agreed.

So together, everyone walked to the trail of longneck footprints that lay right next to the big water. Littlefoot stepped in a spot just to the right of one of the other footprints, pressed hard to make a clear footprint in the ground, and then he lifted his foot up. Everybody then bent down and looked at the two footprints.

"These footprints are about your size, yep yep yep," Ducky exclaimed. "These are definitely longneck footprints."

"Except that Littlefoot's looks normal and the other ones look really silly," Cera added bluntly, causing everyone to chuckle with Cera's straightforwardness. "No really…they're not the same shape…it almost looks like it's tripping in its own…"

"Cera, that's it!" Ducky gasped. "It all makes sense, it does!"

"What does?" Cera asked bewilderedly.

"Don't you see…one of them must have walked in the other one's footprints…so they would look like…" Ducky began.

"One longneck!" Littlefoot and Cera finished together as Ducky nodded brightly.

"That fits… and look!" Cera exclaimed, nodding toward some tracks further down the path. "The tracks look like they are different shapes!"

"Nobody can step in someone else's footprints perfectly," Littlefoot said. "I think you're right, Ducky! We've found their footprints! Now let's go stop them!"

With a surge of determination, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike hurried down the beach path with breakneck speed. As they turned another corner, they saw that Petrie was flying back towards them, panting exhaustedly. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike looked expectantly at him as he swooped down and landed on Littlefoot's back. "Guys! Me find Cam and Mia! They ones making longneck tracks!"

"Did you find Chomper? Or did you hear them talking about him?" Littlefoot gasped anxiously.

"No," Petrie answered, and Littlefoot felt relieved, knowing that if they were either planning on killing or have just killed Chomper, they would most likely be talking to each other about it. "But we must follow them! They carry eggs with their tails and argue whole bunches about them!"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike gasped and looked at each other. Suddenly, they realized that Cam and Mia were not thinking about Chomper at all. "They are…. egg thieves!" Ducky exclaimed quietly, her eyes wide with horror.

Then Littlefoot had a new thought, gasped and cried, "They must have stolen those eggs from the clubtails!"

Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike all gasped in shock, and considered the possibility. "It fits," Ducky gasped. "The clubtail's eggs disappeared, but Chomper did not eat any of them, no no no…"

"Cam must have smuggled the eggs away during all of the commotion with Mia when nobody would notice," Cera growled, stomping the ground.

"That explain why Cam not there when Mia scream," Petrie finished. "And why they blame Chomper for attacking the eggs."

"But why would they want to steal eggs?" Ducky asked confusedly. "They are not sharpteeth, oh no no no…"

"We've got to find Cam and Mia quickly and see what they're up to," Littlefoot exclaimed determinedly.

"Oh, but...we cannot find them unless someone can show us the way…" Ducky began.

At Ducky's words, something clicked in Littlefoot's head. "That's it, Ducky!" he gasped excitedly. And with gusto, Littlefoot hurried over to the big water, took a deep breath, and stuck his head underwater and began to speak, making an indistinguishable bubbling sound from above. Then he lifted his head out of the water and smiled.

"What are you doing?" Cera asked confusedly as the others joined him.

"You'll see," Littlefoot answered confidently.

They stood there and waited for a few minutes, and Cera began to sigh impatiently. "If we keep on waiting, then we'll never stop them them in time!"

But before Littlefoot could answer, a huge splash came from the big water, soaking everyone. "Oh no! Petrie's wings heavy! Water make flying hard!" Petrie shouted as he frantically tried to splash off the seawater from his wings.

"Ow! Who did that?" Cera snarled as she squinted in pain, for her eye stung with salty water from the splash.

"Mo did, that's who!" came a voice from below. Everyone looked down, and there, laughing and swimming in the big water, was Mo, Littlefoot's old swimmer friend, still with brilliant colors and an effervescent smile on his face.

"Come here, mud brother!" Littlefoot exclaimed. Excitedly, Mo leaped out of the water, and Littlefoot hugged him with his front foot as they happily laughed. "Mo haven't seen you in long time!" Mo shouted joyously, returning to the water and swimming happily. "You all very big!"

"Yeah, I guess we are," Littlefoot chuckled as Cera, Spike, Ducky, and Petrie smiled down at him.

"Mo so happy to see you again!" Mo told Littlefoot. "Promise to see Mo again sometime, okay?"

"Sure thing, Mo," Littlefoot told Mo happily. Then he remembered why he called Mo up and asked, "Uh…Mo, we need some help…from you."

"Help?" Mo asked, with a bright smile. "Sure! Mo always happy to help friends!"

"Well, we're following two longnecks…" Littlefoot began.

"Friends following two longnecks?" Mo interrupted, interested.

"Yeah, we are," Littlefoot answered.

"One with really long neck and one with boxy head? And both carrying eggs?" Mo asked.

"Yeah, that's them," Littlefoot replied eagerly.

"Mo found something that fell off the one with really long neck," Mo told them happily. He dived under the water for a second, and returned carrying a wet, large leaf that was a shade of dull pink and looked to be heavily damaged from wear and tear. He held it out to Littlefoot, who nodded thankfully for it as he gently grabbed it with his teeth and set it down on the beach.

"She wear this on her neck," Mo explained. "The wind caught it and it fall into big water."

"Mia wore this on her neck," Littlefoot muttered to himself, staring at the leaf. And then, he gasped. With his heart beating, he asked Mo, "Mo, what color was it before it fell in the big water?"

"All red, deep red," Mo explained. "Redder than stripes on Mo's back."

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike gasped, all coming to the same thought at once. "I knew it!" Cera shouted indignantly. "She's been faking her injury!"

"She wear this to make it look like she bit there!" Petrie cried.

"Yeah," Littlefoot sighed in frustration. At that moment, Spike began to sniff the leaf and licked it happily.

"Spike, stop it! You cannot eat this, no no no!" Ducky exclaimed as she bent down and pushed his face away to prevent him from eating it. But then, her eyes flickered. "This leaf has a funny scent, it does…it smells like…sweet bubbles!" Spike then nodded, and Ducky added, "And Spike says it tastes like sweet bubbles too!"

"There must be sweet bubble dye on it," Littlefoot muttered. "That explains why the leaf is red!"

Then, everyone turned to face Mo. "Mo, can you tell us where the longnecks went?" Littlefoot asked determinedly.

"Mo can hear them far away," he explained. "Friends will find longnecks soon. Mo'll follow longnecks with his ears, and friends will follow Mo."

"Thanks Mo," Littlefoot told Mo gratefully.

Mo nodded happily, and without another word, he swam energetically through the water as Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike struggled to keep up with him. As he swam, Mo tried to keep everyone entertained. He jumped in and out of the water, cackling happily, jumping energetically, and splashing playfully, making everyone, even Cera, laugh happily with him.

"Mo hear them very well," he explained. "They climb up smoking mountain."

"Oh no! Not smoking mountain!" Petrie gasped, and he fell back first onto the ground.

"There there Petrie, get up, you will be all right," Ducky told him gently.

"Where is this smoking mountain?" Littlefoot asked curiously.

"It right up here," Petrie exclaimed in terror, pointing above them. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike looked high above them, and they saw that they were standing right in front of the bottom of a tall, smoking mountain. Then they looked ahead, and noticed that they were just about to walk up a spiraling, stony path which they knew must lead to the top.

"We'll show them that they can't steal any more eggs!" Cera shouted heatedly, grinning with determination.

"Mo can't go anymore, but this path leads to top of smoking mountain!" Mo called out. "Mo hopes he was good help!"

"You were great, Mo!" Littlefoot smiled. Then he told Mo brightly, "Bye Mo, and thank you!"

"Promise to see Mo again some time!" Mo cheered, and seeing Littlefoot nod happily, he dived back into the water as everyone said goodbye to him.

"Come on, let's get going and rescue those eggs," Littlefoot declared determinedly, and everyone looked into each other's resolute eyes and nodded together, determined to make sure that the stolen eggs would return to their rightful home.


	19. The Eggstealing Plot

Chapter 19: The Egg Stealing Plot

Breathing raggedly, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike hurried up the path that led to the top of the smoking mountain. Unlike the sandy beach below, the mountain path was not easy to walk on at all. It was covered with many rough, loose stones, which combined with the spiraling of the path that made everyone feel dizzy, made balance very difficult.

"We are going the right way, " Ducky told the others as everyone huffed up the path, pointing at some shallow, round markings on the mountain path. "Look at those foot marks in the ground! Cam and Mia must have walked past here already."

"You're right," Littlefoot told Ducky breathlessly. Unable to talk much thanks to the exhausting path, everyone quickly hurried up, going around the smoking mountain many times as they slowly began to ascend towards the top.

"When…are we going to reach the top?" Cera asked, huffing.

"I hope we get there in time," Ducky exclaimed. "Poor, poor eggs…I hope they do not get hurt."

At that moment however, everyone froze, for they heard some loud, ear-splitting booming sounds coming from the smoking mountain.

"Maybe we should wait for longnecks to come down," Petrie said nervously. "Maybe they no go to top because they scared of smoking mountain…and me scared too!"

"Are you kidding? Who knows what'll happen to the eggs if we do that! I'm sure that those longnecks went up there, and if they can get up there, so can we," Cera responded determinedly.

Littlefoot nodded and said, "I think we have to find out what they're up to. They must have taken those eggs for a reason…and if you ask me, a reason that they don't want anyone to know about."

Just then, everyone felt the path shake beneath them, and then to their horror they saw that some larger rocks from above were rolling down the hill toward them.

"Me terrified!" Petrie gasped, fluttering madly as everyone quickly jumped out of the way of the passing rocks. "The smoking mountain is rumbling!"

"Don't be such a scaredy egg, Petrie," Cera told him. "We need to get to the top! Just try not to think that we're on a...smoke…" then Cera's voice trailed off. She had just looked off the side of the path and noticed the huge drop below her. Cera gulped, for she always had a fear of heights.

"That not easy to do," Petrie gasped.

"No," Cera admitted, sighing nervously. "Even I'm a bit scared."

"Try not to be scared guys. We can't be too far away," Littlefoot said consolingly, smiling encouragingly to the others as they kept on going. "Listen…"

Everyone stopped talking, and the only sound that they made was their footsteps hurrying up the path. As they turned yet another corner, everyone gasped they had suddenly realized that they were looking at the top of the smoking mountain. Smoke was billowing out of the volcano's center, accompanied with a foul, suffocating scent. They saw from a distance that Cam and Mia were standing alone, and were staring away from them at a spot on the other side of the smoking mountain. They also noticed that Mia was holding onto three eggs, while Cam was holding onto four, and that Mia's neck was back to being pure white once again. Crouching at the top of the path so no one would notice them, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike sat still to watch the longnecks. The longnecks were silent for a little bit at first, but it wasn't long before they began to talk.

"Do I have to step in your footprints on the way back?" Cam asked angrily. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike looked at each other, realizing that they were right about their theory.

"Yes, you dimwit!" Mia snapped. We're only supposed to look like one longneck! That way, nobody would suspect us! And I bet you blundered on the way here, didn't you?"

"I'm trying, Mia, honest," Cam told her nervously. "But I just can't do it!"

"Well, try harder then," Mia told Cam. "Or else! If anyone sees us…"

"Right Mia," Cam told her. "But don't worry. No one will see us."

"You better be right," Mia growled. The two longnecks continued to stare out at the same spot they were staring at ever since Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike first caught sight of them.

"They're late," Mia complained after a while.

"Maybe they haven't come!" Cam told her hopefully.

"Shut your mouth," Mia told her disdainfully. "Of course they'll come."

"Mia, I don't like this! I still think we should take them back!" Cam argued.

"For the last time Cam, it's the deal. They helped get the sharptooth in trouble, so we have to return the favor," Mia told her firmly.

But just then, another voice rang out, "Well? Mia, Cam, are you two finally here? It's about time that you two showed up."

And coming from the spot where Mia and Cam were looking at was a mob of two-footers, walking up from what seemed to be a mountain path on the other side. As the kids got a closer look at the two-footers, they noticed that they all had long, slender legs with sharp claws on their toes, long dangling arms that also had very long claws, and long necks with narrow heads. They were all looking excitedly at Mia and Cam and hungrily licking their lips.

"Those are eggstealers!" Ducky whispered in horror.

"Petrie worried," Petrie gasped. "Look at those claws! They really fierce! And that lead eggstealer look familiar!"

"You're right, Petrie," Littlefoot whispered as he got a good look at the front eggstealer, who was waring a familiar, devilish smirk. "That's Ozzy!"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike looked at each other and gasped. They haven't seen Ozzy in a long time, not since he and his brother Strut had try to steal the egg that had contained Chomper a long time ago, but they remembered that despite his small size, he could be very ruthless. Looking anxiously, they watched on as Ozzy took a few steps toward Mia and Cam.

"So, my sweets…" Ozzy sneered with a tone of malice. "The time has come for payback. We helped you with the sharptooth…and so what has happened since?"

"Well, I'll get the bad over with," Mia told them in a businesslike way. "The bad news is that the original plan didn't work out. The sharptooth is still alive and escaped from the Great Valley...so to fulfill the deal you guys will have to go out and help kill it."

The eggstealers gasped and grumbled to each other. Suddenly, another one ran out from the crowd. "No! Not the sharptooth! It'll be after us for sure Ozzy, and we won't be ready…"

"Silence," Ozzy growled, before turning back to Mia. "How did you nitwits let that happen? After all we did…" Ozzy roared.

"It wasn't our fault," Mia nervously replied. "Some meddling kids our age interfered with the plan and helped the sharptooth escape. But don't worry, everything else is going according to plan...actually, even better than what you wanted. Most of the Great Valley dinosaurs left to hunt down that sharptooth. Their defenses are now very weak, with only children and a few parents staying behind, and of course those meddling kids. So can you help kill the sharptooth for us now?"

"Let me guess," Ozzy told Mia disdainfully, ignoring her last question. "I'll bet that those meddling kids you keep talking about are a group of five, a longneck, a threehorn, a swimmer, a flier, and a spiketail."

"How did you know that?" Mia asked incredulously.

"Because these kids have been pests before," Ozzy growled angrily. "They stopped me and my traitor of a brother Strut when we tried stealing eggs way back… I should've known you grass guzzlers were too soft for the job. Is it that hard for you to just kill them?"

Cam and Mia looked at each other uncomfortably. "We're not murderers! If we were, we would've done the sharptooth in ourselves! And we didn't want to be suspected in this," Cam told the eggstealers nervously. "And besides, the longneck is cute!"

"I wouldn't have minded a go at that threehorn though," Mia said with a smirk. "It would've been fun to beat up her ugly, pointy face."

Cera then stood up angrily. She leered at Mia's tauntingly smug face, growled fiercely and snarled, "We'll see how much fun that flathead'll have once I..."

Littlefoot however, held out his front foot and held Cera back, shaking his head. "Shh…wait Cera, we've got to listen," he told her, though he too felt furious at Mia for talking about Cera like that. Reluctantly, Cera nodded and sat back down, still gnashing her teeth and glaring at Mia venomously.

"You fools!" Ozzy shouted. Then he growled, "If those overgrown eggs try to interfere again…."

"Don't worry about them, they're being grounded by their parents so they can't do anything. So while most of the Great Valley dinosaurs will be out hunting the sharptooth, you guys can break into the vulnerable Great Valley and our part of the deal will be fulfilled. It shouldn't be too hard, since the adults are separated from each other by enforcing the kids' punishment," Mia explained. "Then assuming the search party doesn't succeed, you can fulfill your part of the deal and kill the sharptooth for us."

"Excellent…" Ozzy declared in triumph, ignoring Mia's last sentence. "Only a few disorganized grownups will be no match against our full pack…this is even better than what we had planned!" And with that, all of the eggstealers smirked, extending their claws and licking their lips. "Now, a deal's a deal, grass guzzlers. We got the sharptooth out of the Great Valley. Now you hand over those delightful little eggs of yours."

"Okay, here you are," Mia said indifferently, walking over to the egg thieves. "These belonged to the clubtail nests in the Great Valley."

"Clubtails, what a delicacy!" one of the eggstealers cheered out, and the others grinned and sniffed ravenously, trying to catch the odor of the eggs through the sulfuric smell of the smoking mountain.

"But…no Mia!" Cam began as she saw the eggstealers' wolfish expressions. "There are babies inside!"

"We promised them, Cam," Mia told her firmly. "And they'll never stop the sharptooth if we don't cooperate and hand over the eggs." And with that, the two longnecks looked at each other, nodded in agreement, and prepared to hand over their eggs. The eggstealers watched hungrily, and licked their lips as Mia extended her neck out to grab the first egg from her tail…

But before Mia could make another move, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike nodded and at once, they leaped out of their corner and began to charge toward Cam and Mia. With gusto, Petrie flew over to Cam and before she realized what was happening, he got a hold of one of her eggs.

"Give it back!" Cam shouted, trying but failing to bite Petrie's wing.

"Ducky, me got it! Catch!" Petrie gasped. Ducky nodded, and Petrie dropped it from right above her, and a second later, Ducky caught it and then held it carefully. Meanwhile, Cera circled behind Mia, and with vigor she rammed right into the back of Mia's leg.

Instantly, Mia squealed and her four eggs flew up into the air. The eggs began to fall, but Cera hurried quickly and managed to catch all of the eggs in her frill.

When Mia saw what had happened, she growled at Cera viciously. "You!" she growled as Cera smirked. "Give those eggs back, pointy-face!" she screamed.

"Hee!" Cera laughed, smiling at Mia with relish. "You said you wanted a go at me? Well here's your chance."

Mia growled as she bit at Cera's frill to try and get her eggs back, but Cera was too quick for her. Knowing that she couldn't hold all of her eggs, Cera put her frill down and let the eggs roll down the hill and toward Littlefoot.

"Littlefoot, catch!" Cera gasped. Littlefoot nodded, and he stuck his tail out to try and stop the rolling eggs. The eggstealers, meanwhile, stared hungrily at the rolling eggs, but before they could make a move, Spike hurled himself in front of the ravenous eggstealer mob, growling and lashing out his spiked tail threateningly. The eggstealers hesitated, and in that crucial second, Littlefoot had managed to stop all of the eggs that Cera sent him. He wrapped the eggs securely in his tail before he saw that Petrie and Cam were fighting over the last two eggs that the longnecks were still holding.

Quickly, Littlefoot ran over and bit Cam's tail. Cam shrieked as she let go of her two eggs, hurling them off into the air. "Catch the eggs!" Littlefoot exclaimed. And within a couple seconds, Petrie flew over and caught one of the eggs with his feet, while Cera managed to jump up and catch the other egg with her horns. Triumphantly, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike smiled at each other, their hearts excitedly beating now that they had recovered all seven eggs. Cam and Mia, meanwhile, were complaining to each other about how badly they were hurt, not seeming to even care that they had just lost all of their eggs. This caused Ozzy to glare at the eggstealer next to him and slap him on the face.

"Those overgrown, rotten eggs!" Ozzy growled venomously. "Whose brilliant idea was it to get those grass guzzlers involved?"

"Yours?" the eggstealer nervously asked.

Ozzy slapped the eggstealer again, this time causing the eggstealer to fall to the ground, and then he shouted, "Enough!" Then he turned and faced Mia and Cam, who were still busy complaining. "You…stinking double-crossers!" Ozzy screamed as the other eggstealers growled at them. Mia and Cam looked confusedly at each other before nervously gasping. Ozzy rambled, "You didn't tell us that those kids were coming! You said they were grounded!"

Mia and Cam uncomfortably looked at each other again, before Mia protested, "We have nothing to do with this!" Then she growled, "Why did you stupid kids have to come here and ruin everything? This is our business!"

"Yeah sure," Cera spat at them sarcastically, waving her egg at them. "Except that these are not your babies!"

"You cannot take away the clubtails' eggs, no no no!" Ducky shouted. "These eggs are part of their family!"

"Mia, Cam, for your incompetence, we're through!" Ozzy shouted. Then he turned to the legion of eggstealers and told them, "It's time to finish off these sapsuckers once and for all!" And with a devilish smirk, he began to make battle plans with the other eggstealers.


	20. Fight for the Clubtails

Chapter 20: Fight for the Clubtails

While Ozzy continued to make his battle plans to the other eggstealers, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike took advantage of the time he spent talking to talk each other on how they should delegate their eggs.

"I can't carry all of these eggs without losing the use of my whiptail," Littlefoot explained to the others concernedly. "It's my best weapon against the eggstealers."

"Yeah, we're gonna need that," Cera said. "I don't need my tail when I've got my horns. Go ahead, give me one of your eggs. I can manage another one."

"I want another one too!" Ducky exclaimed, and gratefully, Littlefoot gently handed over one egg to each to Cera and Ducky, so he, Cera and Ducky each had two while Petrie held onto the seventh.

Then, Spike made a coughing sound and looked attentively at everyone's eggs. Ducky smiled and explained, "Spike wants to carry an egg too, he does!"

"Me give my egg to Spike," Petrie offered, and he carefully placed his egg in Spike's tail. Spike nodded thankfully, then Petrie explained, "Me think me can help best by flying down and finding place to hide eggs. We need place to keep eggs safe from eggstealers while we fight, and flying with egg will slow me down. Me should find place because me flyer, so me can fly down and find good place fastest."

"Good idea," Littlefoot agreed. "Cera, Spike, and I will stop the eggstealers from coming, and you and Ducky can help protect the eggs."

"That sounds like a great idea, yep yep yep!" Ducky exclaimed. "We'd all be doing what we are good at! Littlefoot can lead, Cera can fight, I can take care of the eggs, Petrie can find place, and Spike can scare them!"

Everyone nodded happily with the plan, and while Ozzy continued to rant, Petrie carefully bent down and scooted across the ground so nobody would notice him. Upon reaching the edge of the path, he glided off and soared down to find a place to keep the eggs safe. Meanwhile, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike wrapped their eggs tightly in their tails, looked at each other and nodded, and began to run down the path. As soon as they began to move, they heard an eggstealer interrupt Ozzy and scream, "Ozzy! They're getting away!"

"I know that!" Ozzy roared. "Planning time's over! Now split up! First unit, follow me! We're going to invade the Great Valley now!"

"But Ozzy! We don't know where the Great Valley is!" an eggstealer piped up.

"Shut up, you birdbrain," Ozzy told him determinedly. "In case you forgot, I've been there already. Anyways, second unit, stay here and stop those overgrown eggs from going anywhere!"

"We want to go to the Great Valley too!" an eggstealer hollered, causing many others to murmur angrily.

"You can have the bodies of those brats and all of those eggs for your spoils!" Ozzy replied impatiently. "Now get going!"

At once, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike heard the clamor of hurried eggstealers from the top of the smoking mountain, and they knew that the eggstealers were beginning to chase after them.

"They're coming, oh no no no!" Ducky gasped, clutching her eggs very tightly.

"At least we have a head start," Littlefoot replied as they began to hear the hurried sprinting of the eggstealers on their trail.

"But they're…fast," Cera gasped exhaustedly as Spike grunted in agreement. The four of them knew that while the eggstealers were smaller than them, they had long nimble legs which coupled with the heavy load the kids were carrying could allow the eggstealers to catch up fast.

"We've just got to outrun them until Petrie comes back," Littlefoot declared.

"Yeah!" Cera exclaimed. "We're not gonna let those eggstealers win!"

"And our eggs will be safe and sound and happy, yep yep yep," Ducky chirped up.

Just when the kids reached another curve near the bottom of the path, they heard the ravenous breathing of the eggstealers getting closer and closer to them.

"They're gonna catch up to us," Cera said, and Littlefoot, Spike, and Ducky nodded in agreement.

"I hope Petrie will come soon!" Ducky cried out.

Then, suddenly, they looked up and saw Petrie flying over to them excitedly. "Guys! Me find it!" he exclaimed as he landed.

Ducky gasped, "Great Petrie!" and she happily hugged him.

"Ride me over and me show you hiding place," Petrie told Ducky, who happily nodded. Then Ducky turned to Littlefoot, Cera and Spike and said, "Guys…give me more of your eggs!"

Littlefoot and Cera looked at each other nervously. "Are you sure you can carry more eggs?" Littlefoot asked.

"Oh yes yes yes! But not all of them at once," Ducky admitted. "But I can carry a couple more, and with fewer eggs, you can fight better."

Littlefoot and Cera nodded, and the two of them each gave Ducky one of their eggs, so Ducky now had four and Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike each had one.

Then Ducky got aboard Petrie's back, carefully holding onto her eggs. "We not too far Ducky," Petrie told her comfortingly.

"That is good, yep yep yep!" Ducky exclaimed. Then she looked back and said, "Thanks guys! I will come back for the others when these eggs are safe. Good luck!"

Littlefoot, Cera and Spike nodded as they watched Ducky and Petrie fly off, carrying their four eggs away. Just then, the pack of fifteen eggstealers finally caught up with them. Huffing with exhaustion, the eggstealers looked out and saw Ducky and Petrie flying away with the eggs.

"Get them!" the lead eggstealer screamed. At once, the eggstealers rushed forward, but Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike quickly moved to block the path. Cera hurried left to cover the inner side, flashing her horns fiercely as she wrapped her egg in her front leg. Spike moved right to cover the edge, growling and swinging his tail just as intimidatingly, and he also wrapped his egg in his front leg. Littlefoot stood in between them, and whipped his tail threateningly as he too placed his egg in his front leg. The eggstealers kept on running and crashed into the three of them, and the eggstealers looked up to see that Littlefoot, Cera and Spike were leering at them threateningly.

"Sorry guys, but you're gonna have to deal with us first!" Cera told the eggstealers.

"We don't want to hurt anyone," Littlefoot warned them. "But we will if we have to, because we're not giving these innocent eggs to you!" Littlefoot growled, lashing his tail out threateningly.

"Last warning, rockheads!" Cera snarled at the eggstealers, kicking at the ground, leering at them, and lifting her head up in anticipation. "Give up or you'll be sorry!" Then Spike made a low growl, and stepped into an attacking position, swinging his tail back and forth.

The eggstealers looked at each other confusedly. But after their brief moment of hesitation, they growled and lunged at Littlefoot, Cera and Spike. The three of them hurriedly tried to repel each oncoming eggstealer attack, whipping, stabbing, and spiking them away with all of the determination and power they could muster while still keeping their eggs protected. But the eggstealers were very resilient, for even though they were attacked many times, they seemed to keep on getting up after each attack.

"They keep…coming back," Cera growled, as she threw two more eggstealers onto the rocks, though like all the other ones they hit, they managed to get up.

"Yeah," Littlefoot huffed, preparing his tail to whip more eggstealers. "Ozzy must have them really well trained."

"I'd like to give them a full-powered hit," Cera snarled. "But I can't while I still have my egg."

Littlefoot nodded, for he felt the same way. "Don't worry Cera, Ducky will be back soon and she'll take the rest of our eggs. And then…"

"We'll show them," Cera finished with a smirk as she stabbed another eggstealer.

"Let's hope Ducky and Petrie don't run into too much trouble," Littlefoot told Cera as he whipped an eggstealer away.

Meanwhile, Petrie, struggling with carrying the weight of both Ducky and the clubtail eggs, slowly swooped down to the sandy ground where he panted exhaustedly, trying to catch his breath. "Thanks for the ride, Petrie!" Ducky exclaimed.

"Me happy you like it," Petrie told her happily, and the two giggled to each other. Then Petrie told Ducky, "We nearly here. Come follow me."

"Okay!" Ducky happily exclaimed, and Petrie flew a little ways ahead as Ducky followed him. Petrie came to a stop at a shallow rocky crevice on the smoking mountain's side, right nearby the edge of the beach beyond which laid a vast expanse of big water. "Me found egg hiding place right here!" Petrie announced.

"It looks great!" Ducky excitedly said. "The eggs will be safe from the eggstealers in there, they will! But I am not sure if I can fit in there, oh no no no," Ducky told Petrie nervously.

"But me can, me already check and me can fit if me fold up my wings," Petrie replied, and nodding, he slipped into the crevice and slipped out again.

Ducky gasped, "You are right Petrie, you are!"

Petrie nodded happily, and together, he and Ducky bent down next to the crevice. Ducky carefully handed each of her eggs to Petrie, who gently placed each egg inside. There was not much room for the eggs inside, but there was just enough space for them to all lie on the ground. Petrie then squeezed his way into the crevice, and sat on up on top of the eggs protectively.

"Four eggs are safe now, they are," Ducky told Petrie, and bending down, she gave Petrie a big hug, which he happily returned. Standing back up, Ducky explained, "I have got to go back and help the others. They still have eggs that they are guarding."

"Okay…bye Ducky. Me promise to keep my eye on these eggs!" Petrie told her comfortingly as Ducky looked at him affectionately. Waving, Ducky turned and hurried down the sandy path back to the smoking mountain. She ran as quickly as she could, for she heard battle cries from above her and was determined to free Littlefoot, Cera and Spike of their eggs. Ducky huffed up the smoking mountain, and quickly, she managed to arrive at the scene. Littlefoot, Cera and Spike were still fighting the mob of eggstealers, and while they were still blocking eggstealer after eggstealer, Ducky heard how ragged their breathing had become and saw that bruises began to form on their sides, their eggs slowly began to slip from their legs, and their reactions had begun to slow.

Ducky whistled softly, and Spike instantly turned to see her. Happily, he nudged Littlefoot, who nudged Cera, and they all looked back to see Ducky standing there emptyhanded. Smiling gratefully, Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike each released their egg from their foot, and the three eggs rolled to Ducky and she carefully picked up each one.

"We'll see you soon!" Littlefoot called out to Ducky as he whipped away an eggstealer and caused it to knock into another one.

"Once we take care of these guys!" Cera added, and she reared on her hind legs and stomped on an eggstealer, while stabbing another one with her horn.

Buoyed with the release of their eggs and the renewed use of their front feet, Littlefoot, Cera and Spike attacked the eggstealers with renewed vigor. The eggstealers that were rushing toward them, having endured hit after hit, had finally began to lose stamina and keel over. Slowly but surely and through many bruises and cuts, Littlefoot, Cera and Spike had managed to defeat eggstealer after eggstealer thanks to their tails and horns.

At last, only the lead eggstealer remained. "You brats aren't gonna win that easy!" he shouted, and aggressively, he charged at them, with his claws out and his eyes wearing a manic expression. But hurriedly, Spike spiked him up in the air with his tail, Cera jumped up and stabbed him with her horn, and with his whip tail, Littlefoot slammed the eggstealer onto the ground, where he lay lifeless and still.

"Hee!" Cera cheered.

"We beat them!" Littlefoot exclaimed, and Spike began to happily hum as Littlefoot and Cera looked into each other's eyes and cuddled against each other happily.

"Let's go!" Littlefoot happily exclaimed, and he, Cera, and Spike lightheartedly bounded down the path. Little did they notice, however, that only a handful of eggstealer bodies lay on the path…

Down below the smoking mountain, Ducky was running back to Petrie's crevice, clutching on to her three eggs tightly. "I hope Petrie is doing okay, I do," Ducky murmured to herself. However, at that moment, Ducky heard a loud, panicked scream.

"Petrie!" Ducky gasped. Her heart hammered as she quickened her pace, but she was going so fast she didn't look to see where she was going. Suddenly, she felt her movement slow, and she looked down and realized…

"Oh no no no!" Ducky gasped. Suddenly, she couldn't see her feet anymore, for they seemed to have fallen into the ground. She tried lifting her left foot up, but she felt it being pulled down to the ground. "Sinking sand!" Ducky gasped nervously as she realized her knees were completely submerged.

Suddenly, Ducky's heart turned over with horror as two eggstealers came running up to her. "Well, well, well, poor little swimmer is stuck in the sand," one of them mocked.

"How did you get here?" Ducky cried out.

"Simple," the first eggstealer explained. "Some of us were just smart enough to jump off the path and land on the soft sand in the middle of the fight."

"We'll get you out…but only if you surrender your eggs," the other one said with a smirk.

"No! I will never give them to you!" Ducky shouted, clutching her eggs tightly and glaring at them, waving her tail fiercely.

"Suit yourself," the first eggstealer smirked. "There's no use trying to struggle. We don't mind our eggs with some sinking sand sauce….and we won't say no to a swimmer side dish either."

Together, the two eggstealers laughed as Ducky frowned despairingly into the sinking sand. She felt her hands were crackling in what had to be hopelessness, but then a new idea came to her. Smiling at the eggstealers, Ducky exclaimed, "I will not give up yet… I can get out… I must get out… Petrie needs me… and so do the babies…"

Ducky then took a deep breath, and lay down on her back. The eggstealers looked and began to laugh hysterically, quaking with mirth. "Get out? By taking a nap? We don't think so!" one of them sneered. But Ducky ignored their taunting, and remembering her capabilities of being a swimmer, gently paddled through the sinking sand just the way she would in the water. Ducky was not used to swimming in anything this tough, and her breathing was heavy with exhaustion. But she closed her eyes and imagined seeing Petrie's caring face on the other side and imagined him saying, "Me know you can do it Ducky!" Feeling much better, she then thought of the baby clubtails that she held onto, imagining their bright, smiling faces as they would break free from their eggs…

"No!" the eggstealers shrieked. Growling furiously, the eggstealers waded in to try and stop Ducky. But they moved so quickly and restlessly that they tripped and fell facefirst into the sinking sand and began to cry out themselves. Ducky smiled, knowing that she would make it through the sinking sand soon. She kept on going, and eventually, she managed to reach the edge of the sinking sand, smiling delightedly. But then, just as Ducky put both of her feet on land and stood up, she inexplicably felt her fists crackling more. Ducky looked down, and at once, her heart plummeted.

"Oh no!" Ducky gasped, looking down at the eggs, which had deep dents and cracks in them, her heart pounding. "They are hurt!"

But then she remembered that Petrie needed her help, and knew that she had no choice but to take care of the eggs later. She carefully clutched her eggs while at the same time trying her hardest not to crack them, and rushed along the path, leaving the eggstealers screaming in the sinking sand pit behind her. She hurried forward, and when she got to the crevice, she saw to her horror that half a dozen eggstealers were swarming the entrance of the cave. Petrie was standing inside, growling threateningly at the eggstealers and trying his hardest to block off the entrance. Petrie repeatedly snapped and clawed at the eggstealers, causing most of them to have many shallow cuts, but the eggstealers kept on bouncing back and they had managed to land several blows on Petrie's wings.

"Make this easier for yourself, beakbrain," an eggstealer called out. "Give those eggs to us!"

"No way! Eggs safe with me!" Petrie shouted back, and he jabbed the eggstealer with his wing, causing a fierce gash to appear on the eggstealer's cheek.

The eggstealer cried out, "You'll pay, flyer," and before Petrie could react, he swiped Petrie across his face, and caused him to fall down. Petrie managed to get up, but the eggstealers took advantage of Petrie's fall to draw themselves right next to the eggs. Looking down, they smirked at each other and licked their lips. "Now…it's time to feast!" an eggstealer cried out.

But at that moment, a large green tail slammed the eggstealers down onto the ground. Looking up, Petrie saw to his delight that Ducky was standing in front of him and glaring at the eggstealers. "You cannot hurt Petrie or the babies, oh no no no!" Petrie moved back out of the crevice and he and Ducky prepared to resume defending the eggs against the eggstealers. The eggstealers growled fiercely as they prepared to attack, but then Petrie noticed that something was moving in Ducky's hands. His heart pounding, Petrie excitedly shouted, "Ducky look! Your eggs!"

Ducky looked down, and gasped in horror as she saw that her eggs were cracking. Worrying she might have damaged the eggs in the fight, a tear fell from Ducky's eye, "Poor poor babies," she cried. But then, she noticed that a reddish-pink leg was sticking out of one of the eggs.

"They….they are not hurt….they are hatching!" Ducky exclaimed, and as she said that, the other two eggs began to wiggle. Looking down, the eggstealers screamed with rage as three clubtails stretched out and yawned in Ducky's hands.

Then Petrie felt movement behind him. Happily, he called out, "Ducky…look behind you!" Ducky turned, and to her delight she saw that four little clubtails were running out of the crevice and were gurgling, smiling cutely, and making cooing noises as their eyes began to flicker open.

** "**They are saying they are happy to be out!" Ducky exclaimed cheerfully, as the three clubtails jumped out of her hands to join their siblings and cousins. The babies happily chattered to each other, before they all rubbed against Ducky's leg affectionately, causing the eggstealers to growl in rage and begin to whisper to each other heatedly.

Ducky looked down to face the little clubtails. "Hello baby clubtails! My name is Ducky, yep yep yep! And this is Petrie, my boyfriend."

The clubtails gurgled happily, and all of them looked at Ducky with delighted curiosity.

"Me likey Mumma!" one of the clubtails warbled out, smiling adorably and waving at Ducky.

Ducky giggled before saying, "I am not your real mother, oh no no no, but you will see your real mommy and daddy in the Great Valley soon, you will."

The babies looked at each other excitedly, and Ducky smiled. "They are so cute," she told Petrie, who nodded in agreement. "Babies are so much fun!"

"Enough," an eggstealer called out. "You have messed with our plans…for the last time! We may have preferred them as eggs…but we'll still take them as hatchlings!"

"Not so fast!" came two angry voices from behind them. The eggstealers turned and saw that Littlefoot, Cera and Spike were charging at them, each with a look of determined fury. The eggstealers screamed as Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike drew closer and closer to them. Hurriedly, the eggstealers tried to retreat, but before they could get anywhere, Petrie flew in front of their path and blocked their way.

"You need to learn lesson for attacking babies," Petrie growled.

The eggstealers snarled back at Petrie and prepared to bite at his wing, but before they could do anything, Littlefoot, Cera and Spike had arrived. Together, the three of them whipped, horned, and spiked the eggstealers far into the water, while Petrie kept on blocking the eggstealers from leaving and Ducky stood guard over the little clubtails and made sure they didn't wander too far off. At last, only one eggstealer was left, breathing raggedly.

"You…stinking sapsuckers stopped us from having dinner….but I'll stop you from ever seeing…" he began.

But a second later, the eggstealer abruptly stopped talking and screamed. All of a sudden, a huge boulder was falling off the smoking mountain's cliff. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, and the baby clubtails quickly got out of the way and with a direct hit, the boulder managed to flatten the remaining eggstealer and caused a momentary earthshake.

"Yay!" Ducky exclaimed. She turned to the clubtails and said, "You guys are safe now, yep yep yep!"

"Where did that come from?" Cera asked confusedly.

"I don't know," Littlefoot replied. "I'm sure glad it came when it did though."

"Well I'm not!" Cera exclaimed. "I wanted to hit that rockhead myself!" which caused everyone else to laugh.

"Me real curious…me go and fly up to see who it is!" Petrie exclaimed.

But before he could, everyone heard a familiar voice exclaiming, "That was a great hit, Shorty!"

"It was fun!" another familiar voice replied. "I love boulder rolling!"

Littlefoot thought he knew who it must have been, but he hardly dared to believe it. But before he could give it another thought, he saw…


	21. Storms and Surprises

Authors Note: I might slow my pace with the upcoming chapters, but I still hope to update regularly!

Chapter 21: Storms and Surprises

Littlefoot gasped as he saw that it was none other than his father Bron who was walking towards him. He had not seen Bron in many years, and though Bron had aged considerably since Littlefoot last saw him, Littlefoot could still recognize him in an instant.

"Hello, Littlefoot!" Bron exclaimed. "What a nice surprise to see you again!"

"Yeah...I've missed you Dad!" Littlefoot smiled, and he and Bron rubbed their necks together affectionately.

"You're just like Shorty… both of you are really growing into handsome young longnecks!" Bron told Littlefoot affectionately.

"Gee thanks Dad," Littlefoot smiled.

"You guys did a great job with the eggstealers," Bron told the kids happily. "You finished most of them off before we arrived, and Shorty has become really good at boulder ramming, so he finished the last one off. Oh," Bron laughed affectionately. "And speak of the devil!"

And at that moment, a green teenage longneck with a sassy grin came running down the beach path. Littlefoot smiled, for this longneck was his foster brother Shorty. Shorty was growing up very quickly, and despite his youth he was already taller than Bron. Shorty quickly noticed his foster brother and smiled. "Hi Littlefoot!" he exclaimed. "You saw that boulder roll off the cliff? Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah," Littlefoot told Shorty happily. "That was awesome!"

"I bet I can ram boulders better than you, threehorn!" Shorty told Cera teasingly.

"Oh yeah, longneck?" Cera dared him. "We're gonna have to see about that!"

"Now, now everyone, we'll have plenty of time for that later," Bron told them. Then he turned to the kids and asked them, "Why are all of you so far away from home, and without your parents?"

"We ran away," Cera explained straightforwardly. "We left to help…"

"Chomper!" Littlefoot gasped. Between following Cam and Mia, learning of the eggstealers' plot, and guarding the clubtail's eggs, the kids had been so preoccupied that they weren't able to think about Chomper's plight. But the thoughts came flooding back to them with each passing moment, and they looked at Bron urgently. "We've got to save him!"

"The sharptooth?" Bron asked.

"Yes, but…" Littlefoot began to tell him, but Shorty cut him off.

"Don't worry Littlefoot, Bron and I heard everything those longnecks and eggstealers said about their plot. We know that Chomper is innocent, so you can trust us…and we trust him," Shorty explained.

Bron nodded, and the kids sighed in relief. "Still, it would be nice if we knew a little more about him," Bron told them gently. "Could you tell us about him?"

The kids looked at each other and nodded, "Sure, Dad," Littlefoot told Bron.

"Let's keep moving though," Cera reminded them. "We've got a lot to do."

"Come on babies," Ducky called out, picking up three of the squirming clubtails as the other four watched curiously. "Follow Ducky to see mommy and daddy!"

The clubtails happily nodded. Ducky smiled, saying, "They say that they will follow us." So everyone began to walk back up the smoking mountain and Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike talked to Bron and Shorty about Chomper. They told them about how Chomper was their friend, how he was starving himself for their sakes, how he was framed for attacking Mia, and how the Great Valley adults all left the valley to hunt and find him.

"We need to get all the grownups back to the Great Valley now!" Littlefoot explained feverishly. "Most of them are busy chasing Chomper, and if they don't come back, not only would Chomper be in danger but so would the Great Valley!"

Bron nodded understandlngly, before saying, "I think we need a messenger. Somebody that could quickly get to the others and let them know about everything. Can you think of anyone who can help?"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike looked thoughtfully at Bron and then at each other and began to think. "I don't know if there's anyone who can help us," Cera said sadly.

"Well there is Mo," Ducky suggested. "But the search party might not be near the big water, and without the big water, Mo could not get there, no no no."

"We could try Guido," Petrie suggested.

"But Guido might not be able to go that far," Littlefoot replied. "It's pretty far for him to fly to us, and then fly all the way…"

"Fly!" Petrie gasped, his eyes lighting up with inspiration as he began to flap his wings in joy. "Littlefoot, you really smart! Petrie call Uncle Pterano!"

Everyone looked thoughtfully at Petrie, except Cera, who looked skeptical. "But Petrie," she gasped. "You can't trust him for sure! Remember that he kidnapped Ducky?"

"But," Ducky piped up. "He saved my life!"

"Yeah!" Petrie replied determinedly. "Uncle Pterano is trustworthy and good! He learn and he not with mean flyers anymore! Me find Pterano and bring him back!"

And in a few seconds, Petrie soared off into the air, determined to find his uncle.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea," Cera told Littlefoot concernedly. "How do we know Pterano changed? And besides, even if he has, who would believe him?"

"I know," Littlefoot sighed sadly. "But he might be the only plan we have. And besides, any plan is better than no plan."

"Well, I guess you're right," Cera sighed begrudgingly

"You guys keep on going," Bron said. "Shorty and I will stay back for a bit to make sure that no sharpteeth are on our trail."

Littlefoot nodded, before turning to his friends and sighing. "Guys…I'm not sure if we should continue following Chomper's footprints or whether we should go back to the Great Valley to warn the grownups that the eggstealers are coming."

Ducky and Spike looked conflicted as well, but Cera gave Littlefoot a confident look. Littlefoot could tell that Cera had already decided, but he couldn't understand how she could so fast. She looked at Littlefoot and replied, "How exactly do we know that we were following Chomper's footprints?"

Littlefoot looked thoughtfully at Cera before saying. "I don't know… I guess we just assumed it."

"Exactly!" Cera told him excitedly. "We don't! I just realized that…we weren't following Chomper's footprints at all! I bet they were just eggstealer footprints. An eggstealer probably helped Cam and Mia with their plan, and then showed them to the smoking mountain. Since Chomper's still a kid, his footprints are still pretty small, so we could've easily confused their footprints with his."

Littlefoot, Ducky and Spike looked at Cera hopefully as she confidently continued, "And we've all been assuming that Ruby and Chomper have split up… but how do we know that? If Ruby and Chomper are still together, then those footprints couldn't be Chomper's since there's only one trail, and I doubt they would do Cam and Mia's footprint thing."

"Good point," Ducky added hopefully. "Do not worry so much about Chomper, Littlefoot. Pterano will come and get the grownups to stop chasing Chomper and go back to the Great Valley. Besides, we need to bring the little clubtails back and help protect all of the other eggs. And the babies cannot stay out for long in the Mysterious Beyond, oh no no no."

"Littlefoot, we don't have a clue where Chomper is, and it'll take a long time to find him," Cera told him. "But we'll know how to get home from here…the eggstealers would've left footprints behind that would lead us straight to the Great Valley. And besides, we're needed there too. Only our parents and siblings are left there now, and they'll need our help, otherwise all of the eggs will die!"

"I agree," Bron told Littlefoot as he and Shorty caught up with them. "We'd be most effective if we all worked to defeat the eggstealers. Besides, Petrie's uncle is a flyer, so he'd be able to find the search party quicker than we can. And it's crucial for the search party to be found quickly, for both Chomper's life and the Great Valley could depend upon it."

"Well…okay, I guess," Littlefoot sighed sadly. "But I wish that there's something we could do to help Chomper too."

Cera gently nuzzled Littlefoot. "Littlefoot…I know how important Chomper is to you, and believe me, he is to me too. I'm sure that Chomper won't be caught anytime soon…besides..."

But then Cera stopped talking as Littlefoot gasped, for a new thought just came to his head. "We know something about Chomper that they don't!" he exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Cera asked curiously.

"We were the only ones who knew that Chomper was depressed," Littlefoot explained breathlessly. "He spent all this time in that cave, and while we knew that, nobody else did! Since the others think he's a bad sharptooth, they'd just look for him wherever the herds are and won't even bother to check the caves!"

Cera, Ducky, and Spike looked at Littlefoot, impressed with his conclusion, and happy that Littlefoot had begun to think hopefully again. "He then cleared his throat and declared, "I think we should go back now too. Does everyone else agree?"

Everyone nodded firmly. Littlefoot smiled, and exclaimed, "Well, let's get going!"

Just then, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Spike, Bron, Shorty reached the summit of the smoking mountain, and they quickly noticed that the rim was completely deserted. The baby clubtails gasped and screamed when they saw the smoke rising from the mountain.

"Stick close to me kids, and you will be safe," Ducky told them gently. "And do not walk by the edge!"

"I wonder where Mia and Cam went," Littlefoot asked. "They seemed to be kind of hesitant about the plan…"

"Oh please Littlefoot," Cera told him. "Don't be so naïve about them. I bet that they're still out there, causing trouble somewhere," Cera growled.

Littlefoot said, "Maybe, but I don't know… they sure didn't seem very happy to be working with the eggstealers. Don't you think were pretty reluctant to hand over those eggs?"

"They were just scared," Cera explained. "They wouldn't want anyone to know what they're up to."

"Maybe..." Littlefoot replied unconvincedly. "But they didn't join in on the attack against us…and they kept talking about this deal."

"Well, we have more important things to worry about now," Cera told Littlefoot, and just then, they reached the other side of the smoking mountain and the path that led to the bottom of it.

"Clubtails, come! Follow Ducky to mommy and daddy!" Ducky called out as the clubtails gurgled excitedly to follow Ducky. Littlefoot and Cera smiled at each other, knowing Ducky was really getting attached to the babies. Then the group began to walk down the path on the other side of the smoking mountain. Unlike the path they took to get up, this path was a straight slope, with no twists and turns anywhere.

Just then, Littlefoot suddenly thought of something else to ask Cera. Looking behind to make sure that Bron was out of earshot, Littlefoot began to whisper to her, "Cera…what if your dad tries to take you from me again?"

"He won't be able to," Cera quietly replied, careful to make sure that Bron could not hear them. "Once we drive out the eggstealers, we'll sneak out and live on our own just like we planned."

Littlefoot smiled and nodded understandingly, feeling better. Then as they walked down the path, everyone noticed an array of countless footprints that looked familiar.

"Well, those must be the eggstealers'," Littlefoot exclaimed.

Ducky smiled. "These do look just like the sharptooth tracks at the beach! And now I think about it, Chomper's footprints look a little different, they do!"

Energized with this hopeful sentiment, the group happily continued to follow the eggstealer footprints that they knew would lead toward the Great Valley. Luckily, the eggstealers chose to walk on areas where the group could easily follow their footprints, and they followed the footprints from a sandy beach at the base of the mountain, to a muddy forested path where they stopped for dinner, to a desolate desert that was cooled by the twilight sky. Everyone cheerfully talked about everything under the sun, from reminiscing to Bron and Shorty about their adventures, to coming up with stories and jokes to entertain themselves, to trying to entertain the baby clubtails by making funny faces at them.

However, they abruptly stopped talking as they saw a couple of figures kneeling on the ground. Upon a closer look, the group saw that the figures were a couple of rainbow faces, one male and one female, scooping sand in their hands and reaching down into an empty crater.

The group walked up to the rainbow faces, passing many empty craters on the way to them. The two rainbow faces were murmuring to themselves in a sort of ritual, and they began to stroke some leaves that were in the craters. "Hello," Littlefoot told the rainbow faces friendlily.

The rainbow faces looked up from the crater and looked at the group indifferently. "Greetings," they replied dourly.

"Aww, what's wrong?" Ducky asked the rainbow faces kindly.

"That would be telling, wouldn't it?" the female rainbow face growled.

"She was just trying to help, you know," Cera told the rainbow faces angrily. "You don't have to act so secretive with us."

"None of this is your concern," the male rainbow face told them. "You should keep on going and leave us in peace."

"Sorry, we just want to see if there is anything we can do to help," Littlefoot told the rainbow faces.

The rainbow faces sighed, and then the male rainbow face told them, "Oh fine. We are just mourning the loss of our babies. It was a few days ago now… we were waiting for our babies to hatch, but then we were attacked by a huge pack of egg thieves."

Everyone gasped to each other as the female rainbow face nodded. "Our whole colony was just sitting in this desert, taking care of our eggs in our nests," the female rainbow face explained, pointing to the craters. "We were all looking forward to the day when our eggs would finally hatch. But then this huge pack of eggstealers came and raided our nests!"

"Many of us were able to escape with our eggs on time," the male rainbow face sighed. "But we were one of the couples who weren't so lucky. The eggstealers managed to get all of our eggs, and…" Then to everyone's shock, the male rainbow face broke down and began to cry.

"Well, you probably can figure out what happened next," the female rainbow face finished sadly.

"Poor, poor babies," Ducky cried, hugging the clubtail babies she was holding, all of whom were blissfully unaware of the conversation.

"I'm so sorry," Littlefoot told them sadly, knowing exactly how it felt to lose members of his family. "Those egg thieves are terrible! How could they be so… bloodthirsty?"

"If only I was there, then I'd really let them have it!" Cera growled fiercely.

The rainbow faces sighed sadly, but then they looked up, and stared at Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike in an odd way. The two of them whispered to each other hurriedly, and the kids looked at each other confusedly. Then the eggstealers stared at the kids and the female rainbow face said, "We might have seen you kids before. What are your names?"

"I'm Littlefoot," Littlefoot said.

"Cera," Cera introduced herself.

"Ducky, and this is Spike," Ducky cheerily said.

"And this is my father Bron and my brother Shorty," Littlefoot explained.

The rainbow faces looked curiously at each other before the male rainbow face asked, "Where's Petrie?"

"He should be back soon… but how do you know about him?" Ducky asked curiously.

"We remember the five of you…we were there when you went after the Stone of Cold Fire…we always knew you kids were special," the male rainbow face answered. But before he could say another word, a huge clasp of thunder came down, followed by a blinding flash of lightning. Looking into the sky, everyone noticed that it suddenly turned a violent shade of grey and noticed that a huge cyclone of wind was approaching them from the distance. "Oh no! It's the swirling wind!"

"Oh…I hate storms," Cera groaned.

"Poor Petrie!" Ducky gasped. "Out there in the storm like this, this is not good, no no no!"

"Don't worry Ducky, Petrie will be all right. He's probably far away from the storm right now," Littlefoot told her consolingly.

"But you won't be," the female rainbow face warned them. "If you don't take shelter now, you'll be at risk of the swirling winds! Follow us to our caves, we have room for you to settle in."

"But the eggstealers might be invading the Great Valley right now!" Littlefoot cried out.

"Eggstealers may be stupid, but even they won't try to attack in a storm this bad," the male rainbow face explained. "There's nothing you can do now without being blown away yourselves…trust us, we've been through these storms before. Besides…you four need to come to our cave for another reason."

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike looked bewilderedly at each other. "Why?" Cera asked.

"You'll see," the female rainbow face told them mysteriously. "But I promise that you won't regret it."

"Ooh! I am really curious!" Ducky exclaimed excitedly, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Hurriedly, the rainbow faces led the group through the desert as the wind howled and moaned. "We're not too far away," the male rainbow face gasped. "We just have to go to those cliffs over there."

Everyone nodded hurriedly and without a word, they charged through the storm and followed the rainbow faces to the caves. They soon noticed that they were running to an entrance of a very large cavern, while entrances to smaller caverns stood nearby.

"Here's the place," the male rainbow face said. "I don't think you'd all be able to all fit in our main cave since our whole colony lives there already, but no one else lives in the other caves so some of you can take shelter there."

Then the female rainbow face turned to Bron and Shorty. "Would you mind if you two and the babies went in one of the other caves?"

"Okay," Bron answered.

"But Dad, I want to see Littlefoot!" Shorty protested.

"You'll have plenty of time to see him and his friends later," Bron told Shorty, who reluctantly nodded.

Then the female rainbow face turned to Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike and said, "You four should come in with us. Oh, and the flyer too, once he comes back."

The kids nodded, and then Ducky put the little clubtails she was holding down and gave a little whistle to get their attention. "Okay little guys, follow Shorty and Bron into their cave," Ducky told them. Shorty and Bron waited for the clubtails to waddle over to them, and then they lifted them onto their backs and carred them into the cave next door. Then, the rainbow faces walked up to their entrance and beckoned Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike inside their cave.

"Welcome in," the rainbow faces politely said. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike found themselves in a narrow entrance path that was brightly lit up with several shiny stones.

"Thanks for the shelter," Littlefoot told the rainbow faces as everyone else nodded.

"No problem," the male rainbow face told them. "We want to see you anyways… after you," They passed through the entrance passage, and soon came to a long, rectangular chamber. This room was also brightly lit up with shiny stones, but nothing was able to mask the sullen atmosphere in the room. Everywhere the kids looked, they saw miserable-looking rainbow faces. A few of them were anxiously sitting on top of what appeared to be eggs, others were making makeshift nests on the hard cave floor, while others just laid down on the floor, seemingly too dejected to do anything else.

"We've all been hit hard by the eggstealers," the male rainbow face explained. "We're not from this planet…"

"Not from this planet?" Cera asked skeptically.

The female rainbow face gave her husband a glare before sighing, "Yes…we are from another planet and we have come to investigate the Earth. Normally we would stop and try to enlighten the minds of you earthlings, but…we're not in the mood right now."

"We weren't prepared for the mob of eggstealers," the male rainbow face sighed. "We purposely chose a place near the Great Valley because it's a place that sharpteeth usually avoid. When we saw the eggstealers, we were naturally curious. We thought that since they looked similar to us, they might have been our friendly cousins, or perhaps some of our long-forgotten ancestors who already migrated to Earth. But they're not…"

"We have to tell them now, remember?" the female rainbow face told the male abruptly.

"Oh yes, that's right," the male rainbow face said. They both smiled at the kids, who looked bewilderedly at them.

"We've been waiting for you for a few days now," the male rainbow face told them.

"Hold on," the female rainbow face called out as the two of them began to walk off. "You'll understand why soon."

"They still act so…mysterious," Cera told Littlefoot exasperatedly.

"Yeah… I wonder why they've been waiting for us," Littlefoot added.

"Maybe they missed us and wanted to see us again," Ducky suggested.

"Then how come they just walked off like that?" Cera asked.

"I do not know…they are very hard to understand, they are," Ducky sighed, and Littlefoot, Cera and Spike nodded with her.

But then, through the depressive atmosphere of the cave, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike distinctly heard a light, cheerful trot. They looked curiously at each other, wondering what could possibly be making such a happy sound. But as they turned to look, their hearts instantly leapt as they saw that a familiar small, pink fast runner was happily running towards them. She stopped by Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike and smiled at them, and then she hugged them each in turn.

"Hello everyone, everyone hello!" Ruby exclaimed. "I'm so happy to see you guys again!"


	22. The Rainbow Faces' Guardian

Chapter 22: The Rainbow Faces' Guardian

"Ruby! It's great to see you again!" Littlefoot exclaimed.

"Yeah," Cera smiled. "It hasn't been the same without you!"

"I missed you so much!" Ducky told Ruby happily, bending down on her knees to hug her.

"I remember when I could do that to you," Ruby grinned as she and Ducky laughed and embraced. Ruby smiled at Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike and said, "I missed you guys too... but, where's Petrie?"

"He should be finding his Uncle Pterano, I hope…" Ducky told Ruby worriedly, sighing as she looked at the ground.

"You really miss him, don't you Ducky?" Ruby asked her gently.

Ducky nodded, and sighed, "I am sorry Ruby…I should have faith and tell myself that he will be okay…and he will be, yep yep yep," Ducky finished with a note of determination.

Then Ducky continued, "Once Petrie finds Pterano and we talk to him, Pterano will go tell the other grownups that Chomper did not bite…" and her voice trailed off again. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike's hearts all sunk, remembering that Chomper was supposed to be with Ruby. They felt a wave of gloom sweep over them as they took it to be a bad sign that Ruby had not mentioned Chomper at all.

"Is anything wrong?" Ruby asked gently, looking at the others concernedly. "You all look so sad."

"Well…where's Chomper?" Littlefoot asked worriedly, double-checking the cave.

"Is he… is he…" Ducky stuttered, terrified.

"Gone?" Cera finished, gulping a tear.

"He's…" Ruby began to answer.

But before Ruby could say another word, everyone heard some loud footsteps coming from the entryway. At once, many of the rainbow faces froze, and some of them stood up, turning and looking excitedly at each other. Then many of them began to whisper to each other rapidly. The kids heard one eggstealer nearby whisper, "It's the guardian! He made it out of the storm!"

"The guardian?" Cera asked confusedly.

Ruby smiled, whispered, and said, "You'll see."

A moment later, a tall shadowy figure entered the cave. Upon looking at it closely, the kids could see that the figure was pretty tall, dark, and two-footed, with large, bright red eyes at the top of its tall head, and it had a bunch of strange objects dangling from what seemed to be its mouth.

"It's getting really nasty outside…but I managed to get of a few of them," a familiar voice said happily. Then the shadowy figure opened its mouth, and at once, six eggstealers fell onto the ground, all of which looked to be dead and were wearing the same expression of utmost terror. "Your eggs should be safe now!" the voice exclaimed.

"You have our highest appreciation, oh guardian!" a rainbow face called out while many others murmured in agreement. The shadowy figure happily replied, "Oh…it was nothing…" But then, the figure turned its head and abruptly gasped, "Littlefoot! Cera! Ducky! Spike!"

Then, the shadowy figure crouched down, and Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike gasped as they saw that a familiar young sharptooth's face was right by them, and was grinning and looking at them with eyes sparkling in excitement.

"Chomper?" Littlefoot gasped.

"Yep, it's me!" Chomper exclaimed, smiling brightly.

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike all looked at each other in shock, hardly daring to believe their eyes. They felt their hearts rise, for after all their effort of trying to find him, they finally found him just when they least expected it. Then they happily began to cheer and run over to Chomper before affectionately rubbing against him.

"Chomper! You are all right, you are!" Ducky gasped excitedly.

"Great to see you, Chomper!" Cera told him happily.

"Chomper… I… I'm so happy you're alive!" Littlefoot exclaimed.

"Alive?" Chomper asked confusedly. "Why wouldn't I be alive?"

"We were afraid you might've died… the grownups have gone out hunting for you," Cera told him. "Of course, I knew all along that you'd be fine." Everyone snickered with Cera's obvious attempt to pretend that she wasn't worried.

"So you must've not ran into them!" Littlefoot gasped excitedly.

"No, we didn't really run into anyone," Ruby explained. "When we left the Great Valley, Chomper didn't have enough energy to go very far. So while we walked from time to time, we rested formost of the night. I tried to help Chomper feel better, and I begged him to eat, but he kept on refusing."

It was then when Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike noticed that Chomper looked much healthier than when they last saw him, and then they remembered how depressed he was compared to how happy he looked now.

Chomper nodded, saying, "I was really hungry, but I was determined to keep on ignoring my rumbling stomach. I was afraid that if I ate, I would wake my sniffer up and maybe even hurt Ruby by accident. So I kept on saying no… until we arrived here."

"We heard some screams, and so we decided to see if we could help. We hurried over and saw some rainbow faces who had laid their eggs in the nests out here. They were fighting this pack of egg thieves," Ruby explained. "It looked hopeless…the rainbow faces were losing eggs left and right. These eggstealers can be amazingly tough for their size."

"And I was really mad!" Chomper exclaimed. "Those eggstealers really seemed to like killing. And then it occurred to me that if they found any of our eggs, we could've been lunch just like those eggs! But then I remembered that since I'm a sharptooth, I could put a stop to it. So… I went all out at them! It was really fun! I could eat my fill and do something good while I'm at it! I managed to eat tons and tons of eggstealers, and before you know it, the rest of the pack became scaredy eggs and ran away, and so the remaining eggs were safe," Chomper told them brightly, reminiscing. "And to top it all off, the eggstealers tasted delicious!"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Spike exchanged covert looks of disgust at each other, and Ruby explained, "Well, the rainbow faces were really grateful for Chomper's help, and we explained everything to them about who we are and why we're out here."

Chomper nodded, before saying brightly, "I felt better after eating. Not only am I full, but now I know that as long as I can eat the eggstealers, I can be safe with you guys! I'd much rather be eating eggstealers anyway, since they would've eaten me if they got the chance. And better yet, they don't taste a thing like leafeaters! They have a fresh, savory taste that you guys don't. And now that I'm not starving anymore, I know that as long as I have the eggstealers, I can control my sniffer and we can be together again!"

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Spike happily smiled at Chomper, delighted that Chomper had found a solution for his food problem. Ruby told them, "Chomper's so effective at hunting the eggstealers that the rainbow faces gave us shelter in return for Chomper's help. So that's where we've been all this time. I've been out finding treestars for the rainbow faces while they take care of their cave and watch their remaining eggs, while Chomper's been protecting everyone from eggstealer attacks, becoming the colony's guardian."

"Some of those eggstealers aren't very bright," Chomper laughed. "Even though I ate every eggstealer that came by, more just keep coming back. It's probably the smell of eggs that lures them here. Usually, I catch at least three a day," Chomper smiled, licking his lips. "Today was a good haul though. I got six."

Everyone laughed, and then the kids heard someone clear their throat. Looking up, Chomper saw that some of the rainbow faces had come over to talk to him. "You have our sincerest gratitude, oh guardian," one of the rainbow faces told him, while many of the others bowed. "We believe that our surviving eggs might have a fighting chance now thanks to your service!"

The other rainbow faces murmured in agreement, as Chomper blushed, "Thanks! I'm happy to help! And I'm always ready to hunt for more!"

Everyone, even the rainbow faces, laughed with Chomper's enthusiasm, before a pause swept over the cave. Turning, everyone noticed that Bron had stuck his head inside. "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt," Bron said.

"No problem. How may we help you, Mr. Longneck?" a rainbow face asked.

"I would like to see my son," Bron replied. "Littlefoot, can we talk?"

"Sure," Littlefoot answered.

"Make sure to be careful in the storm!" a rainbow face called out.

"Littlefoot and I will be fine," Bron replied. "We just need to talk about something important."


	23. A Three-Way Talk

Chapter 23: A Three-Way Talk

Littlefoot said goodbye to his friends and the rainbow faces before he followed Bron out of the cave. The sky was dark and stormy and the wind was howling, but Bron seemed unperturbed. "Littlefoot, would you mind if we went in the cave next to ours?" he asked. "Just we're going to have to talk about a serious subject, and I don't think we can talk as well with the baby clubtails around. Don't worry, Shorty promised to keep a close eye on them."

"Okay," Littlefoot answered, and they walked into the cave after Bron's and Shorty's cave, which was relatively small but comfortable enough for the two longnecks to settle in.

"So Littlefoot," Bron told him as they sat down. "Time sure has gone by."

"Yeah, I guess it has," Littlefoot answered, not sure where Bron was going.

Bron then looked at Littlefoot and asked him, "So…I presume that if you manage to save the Great Valley from the eggstealers and convince everyone that Chomper is innocent, you'd want to return there?"

Littlefoot sighed, and shook his head. "Dad…even if that happens…I'm not sure if I can go back there."

Bron looked at Littlefoot thoughtfully, "That is very mature thinking for someone of your age," he said.

Littlefoot looked at Bron in surprise, confused with his reaction. Bron then sighed and told Littlefoot, "Littlefoot, I don't know if you've realized this, but your grandparents are getting old."

"I know," Littlefoot told him sadly. "They don't tell me because they don't want me to worry about them...but I can tell."

"So naturally…I'm concerned about your future. You must be thinking about which herd you would like to join once they cross over to the heavenly beyond. I don't want to push in any way, but well…how would you like to join my herd? Shorty and I have been missing you and we fondly remember the times when we met before. We would be delighted if you came along with us, and I'm sure you'll make plenty of great new friends in our herd."

"Well," Littlefoot hesitated. The idea of being with Bron and Shorty again sounded nice to him, but he had a question. "Would you allow my friends to come with me too?"

Bron smiled at Littlefoot, but did not answer. Littlefoot continued, "Me and my friends live for each other and we've always been together through thick and thin."

"That's right," came a voice from outside the cave entrance. Littlefoot and Bron looked out, and saw that Cera had been peering in from outside, listening in on their conversation. Littlefoot felt touched with Cera's presence, knowing that she was willing to overcome her fear of storms to check on him.

"Miss Threehorn," Bron told her sternly. "This was a conversation that was between Littlefoot and myself."

"Well, if it involves Littlefoot, it involves me too," Cera replied stubbornly, and she shuffled into the cave and sat next to Littlefoot. "Littlefoot has a special place in my heart, and if he's going somewhere, I'm gonna go with him."

Bron sighed. "I wouldn't mind if you came along, and I'm sure Shorty wouldn't either. But some of the other longnecks might not take kindly to having a threehorn in their herd, or a swimmer, flyer, or spiketail for that matter. It would…upset tradition, I hope you would understand."

"Well Dad," Littlefoot told him. "If that's the case, I'm sorry, but… I can't go along with you. As Cera said, if I'm involved, she's involved. We really care for each other, and we'll always be together."

"That's very nice," Bron told Littlefoot gently. "But you two are still kids and you don't fully understand how the world works. It's tradition for adults to go off and stay within their own kinds."

"That may be how things usually work," Littlefoot told Bron. "But we're not usual, and we never have been. Most kids prefer to stay within their own herd and befriend others only within their own species. But we don't care about species, for we all are friends with each other for who we are even if we are of different kinds."

"That's right," Cera told Bron. "And I know the problems of specieism better than anyone else. I've not only seen herd segregation, I was raised on it! My dad actively discouraged me from playing with anyone who was not a threehorn and told me all about how we threehorns were too good to be with anyone else. I believed him, and so I too looked down on everyone who wasn't a threehorn. But after getting to know Littlefoot, he showed me that…I was wrong, and now I know that if I stuck with my dad's advice, I wouldn't have the best friends I could ever find!"

Littlefoot smiled tenderly at Cera, touched with her comments, for it was so rare that she ever admitted that she was wrong. Bron smiled softly at them. "That's really great that you care about each other and your other friends like that," Bron told Littlefoot and Cera. "But you should also look further out into the future and consider what's best for both of you. Someday in the future, you might fall in love with the most wonderful dinosaur in the world that you can't even imagine of yet, and you and your lover will have the responsibilities of raising a family in your herd. Your spouses might not like that you would be going off to see your friends from other herds all the time instead of paying attention to them and your kids. It's a tough balancing act, I'll tell you. If you try to tell your spouse about how closely you feel toward your friends, they might never understand, and if they don't, it could lead to an unhappy relationship in the long run."

Littlefoot and Cera looked uneasily at each other. Then, nervously but resolutely, Littlefoot looked at his father passionately and said, "Dad, I… I won't be falling in love with anyone in the future."

"Neither will I," Cera told Bron firmly, looking at Bron with that same passion.

"How do you know that?" Bron asked Littlefoot and Cera skeptically. "You two are awfully young to be making decisions like that."

Littlefoot and Cera looked at each other again, and at that moment, they knew they had to tell Bron. "We know because…Littlefoot and I love each other," Cera told him.

Bron gasped in shock and he looked at Littlefoot incredulously, who nodded. "I've loved Cera for as long as I can remember. I didn't even realize it most of the time, since I care about all of my friends so much but… I've always had special feelings for her. I've been having sleep stories of her for ages now, and I love everything about her with all my heart." Cera's eyes couldn't help but to well up with tears as Littlefoot looked passionately at his father.

Bron nodded with Littlefoot in understanding, yet he looked at Littlefoot with great concern. "Littlefoot," Bron began, "I want to respect your feelings, but…she's a threehorn!"

"So?" Cera asked. "Just because we're different doesn't mean that we can't love each other! It's been the same for me as with Littlefoot. I've had sleep stories about him all the time, and whenever he's with me, I always feel warm and happy inside…we feel like we're…part of each other!"

Littlefoot smiled softly at Cera, touched with her words, and then looked at Bron and told him, "Dad…Cera and I have been part of each other's lives ever since we took our first journey to the Great Valley together. Sure, we've had our ups and downs, and we've fought a lot, but no matter how much we've argued, we've always really cared about each other. We've been best of friends for so many years now, yet we feel an even greater bond between us. We've felt like this for a long time now, and…we know that…our lives wouldn't be the same without each other, and… we want to be together forever."

Bron saw how bright and passionate Littlefoot's eyes were, and his heart couldn't help but to melt, for he knew exactly how Littlefoot was feeling. He sighed, reminiscing about the time when he fell in love himself, and recalling those passionate emotions he felt whenever he and his wife were together. Bron stood there, deep in thought, for many seconds. Then he took a deep breath, sighed, and looked down at Cera. "Miss Threehorn…"

"Call me Cera," Cera told him gently. "Try to see me for who I am and not what I am."

"Okay, Cera…" Bron said. Then he looked seriously at her and asked, "Are you absolutely sure that you want to go through with this? Keep in mind that many threehorns, including from what I've heard your dad, might try to expel you from your herd, and you and Littlefoot could become outcasts from all of society forever."

"Yes, Bron," Cera told him, looking at him seriously. "I know our love might not be accepted," Cera admitted. "But our feelings for each other are so strong that we'd be willing to face anything as long as we can be together."

Bron nodded slowly, before asking, "Cera, you must promise me something. You must be sure that your feelings for Littlefoot are those that you won't ever have for anyone else. Do you promise that no matter what might happen in your future, no matter how many handsome threehorns you might run into, that your heart will still belong only to Littlefoot? Think about this carefully, for I do not want my son to have his heart broken because he fell into a reckless relationship. So please Cera, may I ask, are you truly in love with him?"

Cera looked thoughtfully into Bron's eyes, and he saw that her eyes were just as passionate and bright as Littlefoot's. "Littlefoot and I…really care about each other," Cera told him gently but firmly. "We've always cared for each other in a very special way, and I know that no matter what else might happen, one thing will always be certain, that Littlefoot and I will always remain in each other's hearts."

Bron sighed, and paused for a long time, looking at Littlefoot and Cera seriously. At last, his stern look turned into a slight smile, "Well… Littlefoot, Cera… I underestimated you two." He cleared his throat, and a tear fell from his eye as he smiled, "You two remind me of me and Patty," Bron smiled, clarifying, "Your mom, Littlefoot…" Then he cleared his throat, and smiled, "You two have shown me that you are completely committed to each other… I can tell that you two have really deep feelings for each other, and I know that…you two should follow your hearts and spend the rest of your lives together."

Littlefoot and Cera looked delightedly at each other, hardly able to comprehend what Bron had just said. Then Littlefoot happily rubbed his neck against Bron's and told him gently, "Thanks Dad…"

Bron nodded, and then he looked down at Cera and gave her a warm smile. "I just want to let you know that I am so happy that… Littlefoot has found such wonderful love in you, and I am honored to have you as my future daughter-in-law."

Cera nodded, and she smiled gently at Bron. "Thank you Bron…"

Bron nodded, and then he told them, "I wish you both the best in your relationship," and with that, he walked out, leaving Littlefoot and Cera together in the cave, looking into each other's eyes and happily snuggling against each other, knowing that they had finally convinced one of the grownups to support their love for each other.


	24. Desire of a Flyer

Chapter 24: Desire of a Flyer

"Well," Littlefoot told Cera. "I guess we should head back to our cave now."

"Come on," Cera teased. "Last one there is a rotten egg!"

Littlefoot and Cera laughed as they ran outside and back to the cave. They didn't even care that it was storming outside, for their hearts felt very light now that they had convinced Bron to support their love. However, the wind was still howling, and just as Littlefoot and Cera were about to reach their cave, they saw that two blurs were zooming past them. Abruptly, the two blurs crashed into the cave wall with a big thud and fell onto the ground.

Littlefoot and Cera looked down, and they noticed that two flyers were lying on the ground, unconscious. Littlefoot and Cera bent down closer, and gasped when they saw who it was.

"It's Petrie!" Cera gasped. "And Pterano!"

"Come on, let's get them in," Littlefoot hurriedly suggested, and Littlefoot and Cera gently picked up the two flyers and carried them into the cave passageway, where they saw that a rainbow face was standing on guard.

"This must be Petrie," the rainbow face said. Then he looked at Pterano and asked, "But who is this? He would not attack our eggs, I presume?"

"Don't worry, he's safe," Littlefoot promised. "This is Petrie's uncle Pterano. You can trust him just like you can us."

The rainbow face did not ask any more questions, and so Littlefoot and Cera walked in, carrying Petrie and Pterano's unconscious bodies. "I'm still not sure about Pterano…" Cera muttered to Littlefoot. "I know Petrie trusts him, but he's always believed in his uncle no matter what."

As they walked in, Ducky ran over to them. "Petrie!" she gasped. "You are here…but, oh no! Petrie…is he…"

"Don't worry Ducky, Petrie will be fine, he's just knocked out," Littlefoot told her comfortingly.

"Ah, okay, that is a relief," Ducky sighed. Littlefoot, Cera and Ducky sat down next to Chomper, Ruby and Spike and formed a circle, and then Littlefoot and Cera laid Petrie and Pterano gently down on the floor in the middle. Ducky then propped Petrie up and hugged him tightly.

"Looks to me like you two are finally together!" Ruby exclaimed happily.

"Oh yes yes yes!" Ducky exclaimed. "And so are Littlefoot and Cera, they are!"

Ruby smiled, first at Ducky and Petrie and then at Littlefoot and Cera. "That's great!" she exclaimed.

Chomper giggled and happily said, "I always knew you guys were meant for each other!"

Just then, Ducky, who was still hugging Petrie, leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Immediately, Petrie woke up, and said, "Me no know where me am."

"Hi Petrie," Ducky told him cheerfully.

"Ducky!" Petrie cheered, hugging her back. "Me no think me ever see you again!"

Then Petrie turned, and gasped with delight. "Chomper! Ruby! You okay!"

"Yes, we are," Ruby told him warmly, and then she and Chomper briefly told Petrie about their past few days.

"Looks like you found Pterano," Littlefoot told Petrie brightly when Chomper and Ruby finished, looking at Pterano's unconscious figure. "How is he?"

"Me not really sure," Petrie explained. "He agree to come, but nasty swirling wind make flying very hard. We focus on finding you guys, but me no remember how we got here."

"Littlefoot and I found you and Pterano and brought you here," Cera explained.

Then Petrie turned and saw Pterano lying unconscious. "Oh, Uncle Pterano!" Petrie gasped.

"Do not worry Petrie," Ducky told him. "Pterano is only unconscious just like you were. He will wake up soon, he will."

Petrie was reassured, and after a couple of minutes, Pterano began to stir. His eyes flickered open, before saying, "Oh my…here I am."

Then he looked up and upon seeing Chomper, he gasped, scooted back and screamed, "Sharptooth!"

"Pterano, me already tell you. Chomper our friend," Petrie explained soothingly, rubbing Pterano's shivering back.

"Don't worry Pterano, I won't eat you, I promise," Chomper smiled at him.

Pterano breathed in deeply and calmed down, muttering, "Oh yeah that's right…" and then he looked over at Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike. "I remember you three," Pterano said. "It's great that you're still friends with Petrie. And you must be Ruby, right?" he asked Ruby. Ruby nodded, and Pterano smiled. "Petrie told me all about all of you," he said. Then, Pterano looked at Ducky, and his eyes softened as he looked gently at her. "And you… you must be Ducky," he told her gently.

"Oh yes yes yes!" Ducky exclaimed.

"You have really grown since we last met," Pterano told her admiringly, smiling at her. "Petrie has told me all about how wonderful you are. And I hope… you and Petrie will be happy together."

Petrie and Ducky both blushed upon hearing Pterano's words, before Ducky excitedly gasped, "You mean… you are okay with us being in love?"

Pterano nodded firmly. "Why should I choose to believe in that species barrier that the narrow-minded have put up? I believe that love can be between anyone so long as they truly care about each other. Petrie, Ducky, I am thrilled that you have fallen in love with each other, and you two you should follow your hearts and make sure that no one will ever split you apart!"

Ducky and Petrie nodded and hugged each other happily, and Cera smiled at Pterano, giving him a look of surprised admiration. "Don't listen to anything that those naysayers might say," Pterano continued, "Because most of those who would complain about your love are those who aren't willing to change their ways under any circumstance."

Littlefoot then suddenly remembered something. "Pterano, you know that your punishment is over, right?"

"You right, Littlefoot!" Petrie continued excitedly. "You exiled five cold times but five cold times already over!"

Pterano nodded slowly, but his expression sagged. "I know that my exile is technically over," he explained slowly and sadly. "But I can't go back to the Great Valley because…the others will still treat me like an outcast…and I myself do not deserve to be in their company… because I made many big mistakes when I lived with them."

He looked at Cera, and said, "Your father especially…"

"Oh, dad won't listen to anyone!" Cera told Pterano impatiently.

"He has more reason to dislike me than you might think," Pterano admitted to Cera. Then he sadly sighed, "In fact, he is right in treating me like an outcast. You see… it all began when the combined herds were going to the Great Valley. One night when everyone else was asleep, I noticed that a sharptooth was heading our way. I was confident in my own abilities and I was eager to prove how great I was by defeating the sharptooth all by myself. So without letting anyone know, I tried battling the sharptooth myself to prove my leadership abilities. But the sharptooth was too quick for me, and it bit my wing. I could no longer fight and fell to the ground, and crawled away, desperate to avoid the sharptooth's sight. But out of fear and panic, I made my mistake by not letting the others know about the sharptooth. When the others finally woke up, nobody was prepared to fight, and the sharptooth…caught one of your sisters," Pterano gulped sadly, crying as he continued to speak.

He looked at Cera's sad face before he softly continued, "Your mother hurled herself at the sharptooth to try and save your sister…she did, but the sharptooth…got her. The herd managed to wake up and escape, but without the guidance of your mother, your brothers and sisters got lost and nobody ever saw them again..." Pterano gulped, before saying, "Nobody knew exactly what happened, but I could tell by the look on your father's face that he figured out the big picture."

Pterano gulped again, before saying, "I'm really sorry Cera, it was all my fault, I was just a careless, cocky and cowardly wingbrain too convinced of my own importance. If you feel like killing me right now, I don't blame you. Just go ahead and stab me in the back…I deserve it."

Cera sighed and looked down sadly. She had barely known her mother and siblings, and she had always suspected that Pterano had something to do with their disappearance, but she never asked her father because she knew it would break his heart to talk about it. Part of her wanted to scream at Pterano, but he looked so pitiful and remorseful that she didn't have the heart to yell at him.

"But you have changed, Pterano," Ducky reminded him. "You put yourself in danger to save my life! You saved me from those mean flyers and saved me from that big fall!"

"That's true," Pterano sighed. "But… I can't erase the past. I made a terrible decision…many terrible decisions actually...that will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"No," Petrie replied. "But you can make future better!"

"What do you mean?" Pterano asked.

"Well, this is why we want to talk to you," Littlefoot explained.

Ducky then handed Pterano the pink leaf that they were carrying, and Pterano stared at it.

"So…this must be the special sweet bubble-dyed leaf. Yes, Petrie managed to go over the whole story on our way here," Pterano said.

"Well then," Littlefoot told him, "We need you to go find the other grownups who are out looking for Chomper and tell them to go back to the Great Valley."

"But they'll never believe me," Pterano said sadly.

"That's why you'll need this," Cera told him. "Take this leaf to our parents in the Great Valley, and then take it to the search party. They should notice that the leaf smells like Mia and has traces of sweet bubble dye. That'll get them to see that Mia faked her injury, and then they should finally listen to us."

"I don't know if that alone will convince them," Pterano said doubtfully.

"Well, that's all we've got," Cera told him.

"No, no no, we have something else on our side!" Ducky exclaimed. The others looked blankly at her before she explained, "The babies! Everyone thought Chomper ate the baby eggs, right? If we show that the clubtails' babies are still alive, everyone will know Chomper is innocent!"

"Maybe," Pterano sighed. "But everyone will think I'm just manipulating with the evidence. Nobody trusts me…"

But then, Petrie gave Pterano a hug. "Uncle, you don't know who believe you if you don't try. If you don't go, it means you give up on yourself and you be outcast that live on past mistakes forever. But if you show grownups, they might believe you and you make everything right again! You could help save Great Valley and be real hero!"

Pterano stared at Petrie, and then gave him a hug back. "Thanks Petrie…you are right. I shouldn't be dwelling over the past when there is something I can do to improve the future. I will try my hardest to make sure everyone gets the message…and I'm going to do this for you, your friends, and the entire Great Valley!"

Everyone smiled at Pterano. "You make right choice Pterano!" Petrie told him happily.

"My mom would want you to do this," Cera told Pterano encouragingly. "Go tell 'em like you were her!"

"You won't regret this, Pterano," Littlefoot promised, smiling at him. "Go out there and be a hero again!"

Pterano nodded determinedly. But just then, Shorty stuck his head through the entrance. "The storm is dying down, so we should get going."

Everyone nodded, before looking at each other determinedly.

"Let's go save everyone back home!" Petrie declared excitedly.

"And show those eggstealers they can't hurt anyone!" Cera exclaimed.

"And bring the little clubtails back to their mommies and daddies!" Ducky added.

"And protect the Great Valley for the future!" Littlefoot finished.

And with that, everyone cheered. Then they turned to the rainbow faces, who had been standing together for a while, murmuring to each other. Then a rainbow face walked out and said, "Well, now that the storm has gone and none of our eggs are about to hatch, we will be departing this planet…but we would like to express our greatest appreciation, Chomper, for everything you did."

"Oh…it was nothing!" Chomper told them with a big grin. "I was happy to help! Call me if you need my help again!"

The rainbow face smiled, before saying, "We wish you all the best of luck for your fight to save your homeland. It was a pleasure to meet all of you, and we will hope to see you again if we come back."

Everyone said thanks and waved goodbye to the rainbow faces, and then the rainbow faces stood still, held their eggs tightly, and with a blinding flash of light, they all vanished. Turning, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Chomper, Ruby and Pterano walked out of the cave, and when they walked outside, they saw indeed that the sun was just emerging from behind the clouds. Shorty, Bron, and the baby clubtails were standing outside, waiting for them.

"Ready, everyone?" Bron asked. Everyone nodded, and looked at each other.

Ducky then told Pterano, "Pterano, go ahead and pick one of the clubtail babies. You will need one of them to show their mommies and daddies, you will. But promise me you will take good care of your baby, right?"

Pterano nodded, and said, "Of course Ducky."

Ducky smiled at Pterano, and then she turned to face the group of clubtails. "Who wants to see mommy and daddy first?" Ducky asked happily.

The clubtails murmured excitedly, and they quickly began to coo and look at Pterano in anticipation. "Well, they all seem to want to be picked, so you can pick any of them, Pterano," Ducky told him.

"I'll take this one," Pterano responded, picking up a baby clubtail and gently hugging it.

"Be careful with her, and make sure she gets enough food to eat!" Ducky called out.

"I will, Ducky, I promise," Pterano told her. He gently scooped up the baby clubtail, saying, "Come on little one…we're going for a ride." Then he put the leaf in his mouth, and soared off into the distance.

"Bye Uncle Pterano," Petrie told him, while the others smiled at Pterano as he took a last look back.

"Have a nice ride!" Ducky called out to the baby clubtail, who waved back and giggled at Ducky, who giggled back.

"Well, let's get going!" Littlefoot exclaimed, and everyone nodded eagerly, preparing to head off to the Great Valley together.


	25. Back in the Great Valley

Chapter 25: Back in the Great Valley

For the past couple days, everyone in the Great Valley had been very unhappy. No one was more upset than Mr. Threehorn, who was in an especially foul mood thanks to the failure of his scheme to take Cera away from her friends.

At nightfall, Tria had just finished helping Tricia fall asleep before she went to find her husband. She found him sitting alone on the grass, looking thoroughly distraught. She then walked over to him, and asked, "Are you okay, Topsy?"

"No," Topps replied. "I miss Cera… I can't stop thinking about her."

"Yeah, I miss her too," Tria agreed.

Topps sighed, "Well, if I can't be with Cera now, the least I could do is to try and help her out. I've arranged for another suitor to come tomorrow afternoon. I know she's resisting marriage now, but once I find her the right husband, I know she'll be happy in the long run."

Topps sighed again, and Tria looked at her husband and asked, "Topsy...I have a question for you to think about. What are you looking for in Cera's husband?"

Topps looked at Tria confusedly, and said, "Well for starters, I want him to be a threehorn."

"And why is that so important?" Tria asked him gently.

"I thought that would be obvious," Topps answered. "But if you wonder why...well, because…it's the way we do things, Tria, and you know it," Topps answered firmly. "And besides, to even imagine Cera marrying a spiketail or a beakface or especially a flathead is vile, despicable, disgusting, revolting…"

"Okay Topsy, I get your point," Tria interrupted. "But…is that all you want out of him? Think beyond his lineage and think about what you want Cera's husband to be like…"

Topps paused, then he looked softly at Tria. "I want Cera to be well cared for," he answered. "I want for her to have a husband that would love her as much as I would…a husband that's brave and caring and completely faithful to her…in other words, a husband who has the heart of a threehorn. A heart that we threehorns have all strived to have since the dawn of time and that no one else could ever have."

Tria smiled softly and rubbed her head against his affectionately. "Topsy, I'm sure that Cera will find someone out there who has that heart you are looking for," she began. "You might just need to think beyond how long his horns are and if you do that, someday you might just find that Cera may have found that someone that you are hoping for."

Topps then looked at Tria suspiciously. "You're telling me that Cera has already found someone? And you didn't even tell me?"

"Not yet," Tria quickly answered, though she did not look directly into his eyes.

Topps sighed, before saying, "I'm going to prepare the Great Valley for Troy. He's the newest suitor I found, and I can tell he has potential. He's very strong and very brave…he fought off countless sharpteeth in his herd, and he's interested in becoming a herd leader when he's fully grown. And I also need to convince the others to help get Cera back."

"Topsy, you know how I feel…" Tria began, but Topps quickly interrupted.

"Once she's back, I can introduce her to Troy and they will happily marry," he declared. And with that, Topps growled determinedly as Tria looked at him and sighed.

The next morning, as he had done so many times before, Mr. Threehorn urged the idea of forming a search party to the other parents. Despite his numerous failed attempts to convince them before, he showed no sign of letting up as he gathered the sleepy parents for yet another meeting.

"We need to do this to get the children back," Mr. Threehorn told the others determinedly. "If we don't…"

"For the last time," Grandpa Longneck sighed, interrupting Mr. Threehorn. "My wife and I can't make this journey anymore. We're both very old and we would be more of a hindrance than a help to you and we'll only slow you down."

"Humph!" Mr. Threehorn growled. "You longnecks are just lazy."

"We're not going either, Mr. Threehorn," Mama Swimmer told Mr. Threehorn, and Mama Flyer nodded.

"We've got our other children to take care of," Mama Flyer added. "Who would watch over them if we went along?"

"If we went along, the children here would be all alone, and then they might do something reckless…like try to find us," Mama Swimmer added, causing Mr. Threehorn to growl.

"Topsy," Tria told him. "I know you care about Cera and want to get her back. But I can't come along with you. I have to take care of Tricia, just like Ms. Swimmer and Ms. Flyer have to take care of their children. And besides, I don't like the idea of taking Cera away from her home and friends forever like you were suggesting. Cera's so close to her friends, and she'd be heartbroken if you took her away from them!"

"I don't like that idea either… Ducky and Spike would be so upset if Cera left," Mama Swimmer added.

Angrily, Mr. Threehorn stomped his foot. "I thought the idea was to separate the children from each other!" he yelled.

"Yes, but not forever," Grandpa Longneck replied. "The idea was only to make sure the children could not help the sharptooth anymore. Once our search party finds and kills the sharptooth, I don't see any reason why the children should not be able to see each other again, do you?"

Grandma Longneck, Mama Swimmer, Mama Flyer, and Tria quickly nodded in agreement, while Mr. Threehorn stood firmly.

"You don't understand," Mr. Threehorn yelled. "They're interested in interspecies marriage!"

This part of the conversation was new to all of the parents. There was a lot of murmuring as the parents looked anxiously at each other. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, remembering their conversation with Littlefoot, looked at each other in shock, before Grandpa Longneck asked, "What are you talking about Mr. Threehorn?"

"Your Littlefoot has been asking about interspecies marriage! And with my Cera sitting right next to him!" Mr. Threehorn shouted angrily. "And don't try to deny it, because I heard them talking about it myself!"

"My friend, he must have been only curious about it," Grandpa Longneck argued. "He asked us a similar question…"

"He what?" Mr. Threehorn roared, stomping on the ground, his eyes livid with rage.

"But Littlefoot knows better than to be in a relationship like that! Besides, my wife and I are tirelessly working on finding a suitable wife for him before we go. So you have no reason to worry about it," Grandpa Longneck replied.

But before Mr. Threehorn could respond, a loud voice abruptly called out, "Where's my girl? Mr. Topps, where is she?"

Mr. Threehorn gasped. "Oh…it's Troy! He wasn't supposed to come yet! Well, at least he's prompt and punctual. That's one more good thing about him. And besides, some enthusiasm can't hurt. Tria, come with me. The rest of you, stay out of my way. I've got business to attend to." And growling, Mr. Threehorn huffed off, while Tria looked back at the others apologetically. There was an awkward silence following their departure, before Mama Swimmer and Mama Flyer returned to be with their children, leaving Grandma and Grandpa Longneck alone together.

"Who's Troy?" Grandma Longneck asked.

"No idea," Grandpa Longneck replied. "But we've got bigger problems to deal with right now."

Grandma Longneck nodded in agreement. "We can't take any chances. If Mr. Threehorn's right, we need to act," she told Grandpa Longneck, who nodded. "We have to decide right now who will be Littlefoot's wife."

"Well, I think that part is simple," Grandpa Longneck replied. "Cam and Mia certainly won't make Littlefoot happy, and he won't want to marry either of those two."

"I think you're right," Grandma Longneck told him, "And now that Ali's mother is not here to discourage it… we'll talk to Ali and see how she feels about it."

Grandma Longneck then lifted her head up high and called out, "Ali? Can you talk to us?"

From a ways away, Ali answered, "Sure. Just hold on." Nearby, they could heard a loud angry voice roar out, then they heard Mr. Threehorn say in a frantic way, "Now let me explain."

Grandma Longneck replied, "Okay!" and waited for a few minutes. Then abruptly, they heard that loud, angry voice shouting, "You tricked me! Did you really think that I'd marry a difficult wife who is friends with lower species? You've got to be kidding me."

They heard some rustling in the woods, and abruptly, a teenage threehorn who was large, grey, and muscular rammed through the bushes. He growled furiously as he raged, and then he saw Grandpa and Grandma Longneck. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck instantly realized that this threehorn must have been the Troy that Mr. Threehorn had been seeing.

"Oy! Do you flatheads live here?" Troy shouted, his eyes narrow and furious.

"Why…yes," Grandma Longneck answered, appalled with Troy's temper and rudeness. "And you shouldn't be calling us that."

"Just as I thought," Troy growled, ignoring Grandma and Grandpa Longneck. "Threehorn Valley, please…and I bet you know this Cera, right?"

"Uh…yes, she's our grandson's friend," Grandpa Longneck answered.

Troy growled, and said, "Figures…that old crackpot has been playing games with me. Now why am I even talking to you flatheads? Get out of my way! I'm leaving."

And that, Troy took off, huffing, "That girl won't even make sure my nest's always in order…won't obey my every word…won't tell me about how great I am…fools around with other species…you've got to be kidding me."

"Well," Grandma Longneck told Grandpa Longneck, shaking her head. "I'm glad that we're not marrying Littlefoot off to someone like him, aren't you?"

"Looks to me like Mr. Threehorn is having some difficulties," Grandpa Longneck sighed, and the two of them laughed gently to each other.

A few minutes later, Ali walked out into the clearing. "You wanted to see me?" Ali asked.

"Yes Ali," Grandpa Longneck told Ali. The two of them looked down at Ali seriously, then looked at each other and nodded. "Listen. The two of us won't be alive for much longer, but before we go, we would like to see Littlefoot settle down with someone. We would normally leave it up to Littlefoot of course, but since he seems to be a late bloomer, we would like to prod him along while we still can in hope we can find a good wife for him that he would come to love in the years to come."

"We did a lot of thinking about this," Grandma Longneck told Ali. "And we've come to realize that the best wife for Littlefoot would be… you. You and Littlefoot have always been close to each other since your first visit to the Great Valley, and Littlefoot has always been looking forward to when your herd would be visiting again. We know that he really likes you, and we know that you two will be very happy together."

"We promise he'll be just as great as a husband as he is a friend," Grandpa Longneck told Ali gently. "So… would you marry Littlefoot and put our most pressing concern to rest?"

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked down at Ali eagerly, who looked deep in thought. Her eyes became a bit misty as she stared slowly at the ground. She smiled to herself as she imagined herself happily marrying Littlefoot, then looking off with him at a beautiful sunset on top of some far away cliff, kissing his cheek and rubbing their necks together in happiness, and imagining the two of them raising children together.

But then, she shut her eyes. Her smile slowly slipped and her expression became unreadable as she remained silent for some time. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck watched Ali expectantly, while she averted their eyes. Then, at last, Ali cleared her throat, looked up at Littlefoot's grandparents and said, "I care for Littlefoot very much."

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked at each other delightedly, and Grandma Longneck said, "Ali, that's great news!"

Grandpa Longneck energetically added, "Now, once we find Littlefoot, we will break the news to him and prepare the wed…"

But then Ali shook her head. "I said I care for Littlefoot very much…so much so that I cannot become his wife."

"If it's about your mother, we can arrange…" Grandma Longneck quickly said.

Ali however shook her head and interrupted, "It's not…"

"Or if you're concerned that you're too closely related…" Grandma Longneck continued.

Ali shook her head again. "It's not that either."

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked stunned before Grandpa Longneck asked, "Then why can't you, Ali?"

"If Littlefoot and I married, he would never be truly happy. Sure, he likes me a lot, and the two of us are great friends. And part of me still has a crush on him…but I know his heart wouldn't want to do it. He would be endlessly regretful by being married to me, and… I know a marriage between us would never be really happy."

"But Ali, Littlefoot cares for you!" Grandma Longneck insisted.

"I know he does… he's a great friend. But you see, I can't marry him because… Littlefoot's heart belongs to somebody else," Ali told Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, who looked at each other in shock. "Excuse me for a moment, I have to let someone else join this conversation." And Ali walked into the forest, leaving Grandma and Grandpa Longneck standing there, still looking completely mystified.

A few minutes later, Ali returned. She was accompanied by Tria, who was looking at Grandma and Grandpa Longneck with a knowing expression on her face. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked at each other bewilderedly.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Longneck," Tria greeted them calmly.

Littlefoot's grandparents were speechless. Ali then cleared her throat and began, "When I came back to the Great Valley, I still had my childhood crush on Littlefoot, despite my mother's objections. We walked together for a few times, and on those walks I must admit that my feelings deepened and I considered the possibility of marrying him. But then, on the evening he left, I saw Littlefoot having a sleep story. He looked more passionate than I'd ever seen him before. And in his sleep, I kept hearing him murmur one name. 'Cera…Cera…Cera…'"

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck gasped, and looked at each other, stunned. Tria, however, looked entirely unsurprised. "It's been the same on our end," she told Grandma and Grandpa Longneck calmly. "Not that she'd ever tell anyone, but I could tell that Cera had been having sleep stories. And in them, I often heard her calling out Littlefoot's name. I've been keeping close to her so Topsy can't hear them, and from hearing her night after night, I'm absolutely certain that Cera is saying Littlefoot's name in a way that shows…she has feelings for him."

Ali then explained, "I could tell instantly that Littlefoot loved Cera when I saw him wake up. He instantly asked me to help her, and when I told him he was murmuring her name, he blushed furiously. Since I knew how he was feeling before he fully understood it himself, I withdrew myself from his consideration. You see, I care for Littlefoot… I care for him so much that I want him and Cera to be happy in their relationship."

"But…but…she's a threehorn…and you two are both longnecks…" Grandma Longneck sighed.

"One of the things I learned from Littlefoot and his friends," Ali replied, "Is how it's possible to be friends with other kinds of dinosaurs. I didn't understand that before I met them because I had only gotten to know other longnecks. But now I understand that it's great to have different kinds of friends. And not only do Littlefoot and his friends live by this, so does the entire Great Valley at its best, which makes it really special here. In my herd, it's always been only longnecks, and we've never even considered letting anyone else join our herd. The Old One keeps on saying that it's impossible for different herds to happily live together. But by seeing you guys, I know she's wrong. I'm still amazed how all of your different herds are able to get along so well together. There's nothing like it in the world beyond. So why would anyone who lives in this wonderful world of harmony keep two lovers apart just because they're not of the same kind?"

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck stared at each other in deep thought and began to whisper. They had never imagined a longneck falling in love with a threehorn, let alone their own grandson. Ali and Tria looked knowingly at Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, who looked uncertain.

"Well… if that's what Littlefoot really wants," Grandpa Longneck told them shakily, "Then we will accept it and we will end our plans for his betrothal."

Ali nodded silently. Then, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked at Tria. "You surprise me Tria… you haven't raised any objections to this," Grandma Longneck told her.

"That's because I don't have any," Tria explained. "I trust Cera's judgment on this. I've seen Cera and Littlefoot together for years. They've always seemed to have a special bond with each other which has grown stronger and stronger with time, to the point where they know each other like the back of their foot. I'm sure that Cera would've thought of the consequences of their love, but Cera's always been a stubborn one, and I'm sure that once she knew she wanted Littlefoot, she committed herself to being in love with him and only him for the rest of her life."

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck nodded, looking assured. "There's still one problem though," Grandpa Longneck told her. "Your husband. He sure seems to be upset about interspecies marriages and seems to be brooding about it."

"Oh, Topsy…" Tria sighed. "Well, I won't pretend that he'll be thrilled about this. He's doing everything in his power to make sure that Cera and Littlefoot don't marry. He tried to take us away from the Great Valley before to get Cera away from Littlefoot, and he's looking very hard for suitors… I'm sure you must have heard Troy just now. That boy has got to be the worst fit for Cera in the world...don't get me wrong, Topsy has good intentions, he's just doing what he thinks is best for Cera, but he's letting his old prejudices get to him. He's not able to come to terms with the fact that Cera and Littlefoot are seriously in love. But mark my words, my stepdaughter is just as stubborn as he is. When she puts her mind to it, she'll find a way to deal with Topsy and make their marriage work."

"But what if your husband prevents Cera from being with Littlefoot?" Grandma Longneck asked. "If he wants to prevent their marriage, wouldn't he try to keep them as separated as much as possible? Or wouldn't he try to make life so uncomfortable for them that they'd be miserable forever?"

"Yes, he might try," Tria told Grandma and Grandpa Longneck thoughtfully. "But I'm going to try and see if he can be reasoned with before we get to that point."

And with that, Tria walked away into the forest, with Ali walking out soon after, leaving Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looking concernedly at each other.


	26. Pterano's Evidence

Chapter 26: Pterano's Evidence

A few hours later, Mr. Threehorn called for yet another meeting, and agreeably but exasperatedly, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Tria, Mama Swimmer, and Mama Flyer arrived, standing in the same spot of the Great Valley where they had met for so many times before. Mr. Threehorn was pacing back and forth and obsessively brooding, evidently still furious about the Troy fiasco.

"If you're going to ask us to go out again, Mr. Threehorn, the answer is still no," Mama Flyer told Mr. Threehorn.

Mr. Threehorn growled, but he ignored her and abruptly glared at Grandpa and Grandma Longneck. "You longnecks don't know when to be quiet! Thanks to your loud calls, you caused a suitor of Cera's to walk off!"

"Topsy, Troy would've never worked," Tria told him calmly. "He would've found out that Cera was friends with members of other species anyway. And once he knew that, he would've left her in an instant. Then of course there were Troy's expectations… Cera's the last girl I can imagine who'd be happy following his orders and massaging his ego, don't you think? A relationship between them would've never worked."

Mr. Threehorn growled but did not answer. Then he turned to Grandma and Grandpa Longneck again. "So?" Mr. Threehorn demanded. "Got your grandson his girl yet?"

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked at each other nervously.

"Don't pressure them, Topsy. Give them some time to think it over," Tria told him gently.

"Well, let me know when the good news comes," Mr. Threehorn growled, and he stormed away. Tria nodded sadly at Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, and they understood that despite her best efforts, her husband was too difficult to reason with.

"He's sure taking this seriously," Mama Swimmer sighed.

Tria nodded. "I just wish there's some way I could help calm him down…"

"What do you two think of this?" Grandma Longneck asked Mama Swimmer and Mama Flyer softly.

"Well, I for one wouldn't want Petrie to be pressured into marriage," Mama Flyer replied.

Mama Swimmer nodded in agreement. "Personally, I don't understand why the species principle is so important to him. I mean, I know that's always the way we've done things, but…sometimes there can be exceptions. I mean, look at Spike. He's not a swimmer like the rest of our family, but he's still a part of it and I love him just as if he was my own child."

"That's true," Mama Flyer nodded. "I wouldn't mind someone who's not a flyer in our herd…I mean, look at how well Ducky and Spike have worked for you. It might take a little time to get adjusted to, but I'm sure everything would eventually work out."

But then, Mama Swimmer looked at Mama Flyer seriously. "Ms. Flyer…I've got to tell you something."

"Sure, Ms. Swimmer," Mama Flyer told her.

"It's about…Ducky," Mama Swimmer began slowly. "She's been acting very strange recently. I've been seeing her going through incredible mood swings. Sometimes I've seen her really giggly…but other times I've seen her very depressed. And these mood swings always seem to have something to do with Petrie. She's been really giggly whenever she sees him, and I've heard her talking about how she misses him to Spike. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself but…I feel that Ducky is in love with him."

Mama Flyer looked at Mama Swimmer curiously, before saying, "Do you know what? I've been suspecting the same thing on my end. Petrie always seems to be so worked up whenever I mention Ducky's name, and sometimes, he seems to be too scared to do anything but to shiver and hide in a corner. And that usually happens when Ducky is nearby or when she wants to see him. So…I think that if they actually talk to each other about how they feel…"

"They will find that they're in love with each other," Mama Swimmer told Mama Flyer, who nodded. "I've thought about this for a while. I mean, it hasn't really happened before in our family, but… neither has adopting a spiketail, and without hesitation I would say that was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I must say I was uncomfortable with this idea at first, but now that I've thought about it… it makes more sense than I thought. I'm sure that they'd take good care of each other, and I know that being with Petrie will make Ducky happy, and if it makes her happy, then I'll be happy too."

Mama Flyer looked at Mama Swimmer, and smiled. "I know just how you're feeling…it took me some time to get used to the idea too, but when I think about it, the two of them seem to have been very close to each other for a long time. My only concern is that…some of the other Great Valley residents might not appreciate their love and would give them a hard time." With that, Mama Swimmer and Mama Flyer turned and looked at Tria, who looked at them understandingly.

"Oh Topsy," Tria sighed. "Well, you see, it'll be hard for him to tolerate your children falling in love with each other because…we have a similar situation on our end."

Grandpa Longneck nodded. "We were going to betroth Littlefoot to Ali, but she refused to marry him, and instead, she explained to us, to our great surprise, that…Littlefoot is deeply in love with Cera."

"Cera's in love with Littlefoot too," Tria explained. "And unfortunately, Topsy is suspicious. That's why he's been talking about the search party and leaving the Great Valley and finding these suitors, to let him control Cera and separate her from Littlefoot. I don't think he'll tolerate your children's love until he accepts ours, and knowing Topsy, that could take a very long time."

"Humph! If ever!" a voice grunted, and out from the forest, Mr. Threehorn came charging out. The other parents gasped and looked at each other in horror, realizing that he must have listened in on their whole conversation. "So," he growled in a triumphant voice, leering at the other parents. "I should've known that all of you were conspiring against me all this time. Let me tell you this Tria, we're through. First you mess everything up with Troy by asking him all those tough questions. Then you join in with the other parents and talk about Cera behind my back. You're trying to sabotage my goals for Cera, so you can't be my wife."

Tria looked stunned and hurt, but determinedly replied, "It's about time Topsy, for you to learn that you cannot control Cera and that she has a heart of her own. And besides, you told me that you wanted Cera to marry someone who is brave and caring and faithful…doesn't that sound like Littlefoot to you?"

"No! That longneck does not have the heart of a threehorn!" Mr. Threehorn roared.

"Why not?" Tria asked stubbornly.

"Because…well, I mean…because, he's not a threehorn! You can't have the heart of a threehorn if you're not a threehorn! That's just…that's just impossible!" Mr. Threehorn roared.

"Why, Topsy?" Tria asked persistently.

Mr. Threehorn glared at Tria and growled, "Enough! I don't know what I've done to make you all mad at me, but I would like it if you would show me some respect and stop conspiring against me!"

Mama Swimmer, Mama Flyer, Grandma Longneck and Grandpa Longneck looked seriously at Mr. Threehorn.

"Nobody's conspiring against you, Mr. Threehorn," Grandpa Longneck told him calmly.

"We've only just figured out that… Littlefoot and Cera and Ducky and Petrie are in love with each other," Grandma Longneck explained.

"Impossible!" Mr. Threehorn roared, stomping the ground with such force that a small earthshake formed. "My Cera is not in love with a longneck! You are out of your minds, all of you!"

"You can try to deny it," Grandpa Longneck argued, "But we've thought about this carefully and we are now convinced that we are all parents or guardians of a child who is in love with somebody from a different herd."

Mr. Threehorn growled fiercely, but he was interrupted by a shadow flying above them.

"What's this?" Mr. Threehorn growled.

Looking up, the parents gasped as they saw a familiar flyer approaching them.

"Pterano…" Mama Flyer muttered softly.

"Good day," Pterano told them as he reached the ground, dropping a half of a pink leaf from his mouth onto the ground and clutching something that none of the adults could make out.

"You're not welcome here, beakbrain!" Mr. Threehorn shouted. "Get out of our valley now!"

"Tut-tut. Rude as ever, Threehorn," Pterano replied exasperatedly as he put the other half of the pink leaf down and Mr. Threehorn grimaced. "Let me remind you though that my time in exile is over. I assure you that I normally wouldn't want to be in a place where I'm not wanted…but I have a message…from the children."

The parents instantly gasped and began to whisper to each other hurriedly.

"Where are they?" Mr. Threehorn roared. "I need to take Cera away right now!"

"Why should I tell you?" Pterano answered coolly, causing Mr. Threehorn to growl in rage. "Anyway, they're probably far away from where I last saw them, so even if I told you, it would be pointless trying to find them. You shouldn't leave anyways, for the children have asked me to warn you that the Great Valley is in danger from an eggstealer attack."

The parents looked at each other and began to murmur instantly. "Hold on there," Mr. Threehorn interrupted. "How can we trust Pterano on this one? And why would eggstealers be attacking our valley? It makes no sense. Besides, where's the proof?"

"You have to trust my word about the eggstealers…take it or leave it," Pterano said calmly. None of the parents responded, though Mr. Threehorn snorted skeptically.

"They also asked me to show you a couple of things…" Pterano continued, and with that, Pterano indicated the half of the leaf nearer the parents, which was now crumpled and worn.

"And also," Pterano told the parents, who looked confusedly at the leaf. "They asked me to show you this." And then Pterano lifted up his feet, revealing the baby clubtail, who was curled up on the ground, cooing happily.

The parents gasped in shock, and then looked softly at the baby clubtail.

"Aww…what a cutie," Mama Swimmer smiled.

"Could it be?" Mama Flyer asked thoughtfully.

"The clubtails will be delighted about this!" Grandma Longneck exclaimed.

"They'll have even more to be delighted about," Pterano explained. "All seven eggs in both of their clutches have hatched and their other children are safe with your children."

"That means…the sharptooth didn't eat any of them!" Mama Swimmer gasped.

"Yes, that's right," Pterano told them. "That's what the children wanted to tell you."

The parents feverishly began to talk to each other, except Mr. Threehorn, who still looked at Pterano skeptically. "Wait a second. How can you be sure these aren't different hatchlings?" he asked Pterano skeptically.

"Topsy, no one would be able to tell for sure except the clubtails themselves," Tria told him. "The only way we'll be able to tell for certain is to have the clubtails take a look at the baby, for they and they alone can determine if it's their child. Until then, we've got to go with our hearts to determine whether this clubtail baby belongs to our clubtails or not."

"If you ask me, the baby sure looks like it could be the clubtails' child," Mama Swimmer told them.

Mr. Threehorn growled, "All clubtails look the same! And even if this child does belong to them, this doesn't explain that longneck's injury."

"Ah! That's where the leaf comes in. Now look at it closely," Pterano suggested. "That'll tell you everything. Now I'm out of time, I've got to find the search party, give the little clubtail back to its parents, and get everyone to come back before it's too late. Besides, you wouldn't believe my word anyway. The only way that you'd understand is if you figure it out for yourselves," Pterano told them, and without another word, he scooped up the clubtail and the other half of the leaf and flew off. The parents then gathered around their half of the leaf and looked at it confusedly.

"I wonder what the children are trying to tell us about," Mama Flyer sighed thoughtfully.

"Forget it, it's just Pterano's nonsense," Mr. Threehorn snapped irritably.

But then, Grandma Longneck bent down and smelled the leaf. "This leaf smells like a longneck," she told everyone. "It distinctly smells like my relatives… so it must have come from someone in their herd."

There was a large amount of murmuring among the crowd. "But why can that be?" Mama Swimmer asked, but nobody could come up with a possible explanation.

"I'll fly over and get Ali to come quickly," Mama Flyer suggested. "Since she comes from your cousin's herd, she might be able to identify the smell better than we can."

Mama Flyer flew off, leaving the others to examine the leaf. Then abruptly, they heard footsteps running over to them. Mama Swimmer and Tria looked down to find that Tricia had squirmed her way in between them, looking curiously at all the parents. "What have you grownups been up to all day?" Tricia asked curiously. Then she saw the leaf, and licked her lips. "Mmm! That leaf looks really good!"

"Tricia, don't!" Tria gasped, but it was too late. Tricia reached out to take a small bite out of the leaf, but as soon as her tongue touched the leaf, she grimaced and gasped, "Pleh!"

"What's wrong, Tricia?" Tria asked.

"It takes like salt!" she groaned. "But not only that…it tastes kinda like sweet bubbles!"

"Sweet bubbles?" the grownups looked at each other. "Are you sure, Tricia?" Tria asked.

"Yeah, I have that taste in my mouth," Tricia answered.

Just then, Mama Flyer returned, with Ali by her side. "So…this must be the leaf," Ali muttered slowly. The grownups made way for Ali to put her head down and sniff the leaf. "This leaf smells like…Mia!"

"This is strange," Grandpa Longneck sighed. "It's a pink leaf that tastes like sweet bubbles, is very salty, and smells like Mia. I've never heard of anything like that before," he said.

"It's because you're using your imagination too much," Mr. Threehorn growled, though everyone else ignored him.

"That's funny…sweet bubbles aren't usually that pale of a pink," Mama Flyer said slowly. "They're usually a darker pink, or red or a purple shade…"

"Yes," Mama Swimmer responded, "But…what if this leaf went in the water? That explains why it looks so damaged and faded, and why it would taste salty. And if so… the color would've been weakened in the big water… and so this leaf originally would've been a reddish shade!"

The parents pondered that thought for some time. "So…this leaf tastes like sweet bubbles, even though sweet bubbles don't come in leaf form," Mama Flyer began. "This means…the taste must have been applied to the leaf."

"Why would the sweet bubbles be applied to the leaf?" Mama Swimmer continued. "Because somebody wanted to dye the leaf a reddish shade."

"And why would someone want to dye the leaf a reddish shade?" Grandma Longneck continued. "Maybe…it's because someone wanted to make it look like they were bleeding…"

And then it all clicked. "That someone…must be Mia!" Ali gasped. Then she turned and asked, "Is this only half of the leaf?"

"Yes," Grandpa Longneck answered uncertainly.

"That fits!" Ali exclaimed. "Mia looked to have an injury twice the size of that leaf half on her neck! And I saw Cam and Mia leave, and Mia was able to walk just fine! If she was really bitten, it wouldn't make sense for her to be able to walk out on us like that, would it?"

Everyone else gasped, knowing that Ali was right.

"So…the children were right all along," Grandpa Longneck sighed. "Assuming that the babies are indeed the clubtails' children, it appears that the sharptooth didn't eat the clubtail eggs or attack Mia at all."

"Well well well, it's about time you sapsuckers figured it out," came a voice from above. The parents, Ali, and Tricia gasped in shock, as they saw a huge mob of eggstealers was surrounding them from the cliffs above.


	27. The Plan Revealed

Chapter 27: The Plan Revealed

Excitedly, the eggstealers stood ravenously on the cliffs of the Great Valley, staring at the few dinosaurs below them and licking their lips hungrily.

"Well well well…what a pleasure to be back here again. The mighty Great Valley has never looked so…defenseless," Ozzy smirked from above.

"If you have come to hurt anyone, you will have us to deal with!" Grandpa Longneck shouted as he lifted his tail threateningly. Grandma Longneck, Ali, Mama Swimmer, Mama Flyer, Topps, Tricia, and Tria nodded before glaring and posing threateningly for the eggstealers.

"You really are scaring us," Ozzy smirked sarcastically. "Don't worry…we're not interested in hurting you…we're only interested in your succulent, delightful…eggs," Ozzy smirked, and the other eggstealers began to excitedly stir.

Mama Swimmer was shaking as she growled, "So…you were the ones who are responsible for taking away the clubtails' eggs!"

The eggstealers laughed from above. Ozzy smirked, "By putting it like that, it's clear that you sapsuckers have no appreciation for subtleties. I'll give you all some time to live…"

"But you just said you weren't interested in hurting us!" Topps roared.

"We aren't," Ozzy replied. "But…they are," Ozzy laughed. Then, he turned to face the crowd of eggstealers, and made a beckoning motion. At once, the eggstealers shuffled over, and everyone in the Great Valley gasped as a large pack of fast biters ran over to the edge of the cliff and took their place. "They'll keep you guys busy while we feast on your eggs. But we're gonna give you a little time to live as you learn all about our plan."

The Great Valley dinosaurs looked at each other in horror, as Ozzy smirked, cleared his throat, and began to talk. "It all began a long time ago when me and my brother Strut first invaded the Great Valley to find our favorite…delicious, eggs," Ozzy growled. "We would've had a feast here…if it hadn't been for five obnoxious overgrown eggs who got in our way. We kept on trying to claim our rightful eggs…"

"Rightful eggs?" Tricia asked skeptically. "Yeah right."

"Silence, hatchling," an eggstealer shouted. "Or we'll kill you first!"

"Those eggs do not belong to you, they belong to the babies who live inside of them!" Mama Swimmer shouted passionately as Tria growled at the eggstealer who threatened Tricia.

"Enough rubbish," Ozzy growled. "Anyway…we failed back then due to your stupid kids and the baby sharptooth's stupid parents. But I have always vowed to return here to get my revenge and have another chance to raid the greatest egg paradise of all. This time however, I've learned from our past mistakes and learned a lesson from your precious hatchlings…that if there are enough of us, we can take on anyone who tries to get in our way! Together, Strut and I scoured the world and recruited other eggstealers. After we got a sizeable membership in our force, we prepared to make a practice assault on a herd of longnecks…the very same herd of longnecks that have come to visit right now…"

Ali gasped and growled, "You attacked our herd too?"

"Sure," Ozzy answered carelessly. "Unfortunately my brother Strut had decided he had enough eggstealing, so he turned traitor and warned your herd about the attack, so they were prepared for us. It was then that I realized that you cannot trust others who don't think like you, so to have a loyal force, you need to create an army where every member has the same mindset as its leaders. After we retreated and I disposed of Strut, I began a new training program. First, I weeded out our weakest and least determined members. Once I did that, those of us remaining focused on becoming a cohesive unit. And that was easy, for all of us share the single goal of feasting upon the biggest egg paradise of all."

"We've been dreaming and scheming for every moment of our invasion. We've spent years going through vigorous training that would make us able to withstand attack after attack. We also reached out and made allies, like the fast biters. I have picked up the ability to speak sharptooth over the years, so I made a pact with their leaders, Screech and Thud, figuring that we could use their help in stopping our obstacles. Our deal was simple. They eat you, we will eat your eggs. But we knew that even though we were well prepared, we still had to find a way to deal with the formidable obstacles of the Great Valley. We needed an opening…and we succeeded in finding it."

"Nothing has opened, you eggbrains," Mr. Threehorn roared as he flashed his frill aggressively.

The eggstealers all began to maniacally laugh. "No, not literally, pointyface," Ozzy told him tauntingly. "But yes, we've found our opening. For a while, we've been watching the Great Valley to see if we can find any trouble. We were particularly interested in the past few days, as the herd of longnecks that Strut betrayed us to happened to be visiting. so we can have revenge on two herds in one attack. And then, it was I who found our opening… in your little longneck friend Mia."

The Great Valley dinosaurs looked at each other in shock as Ozzy continued to smirk. "As soon as I saw her, I could instantly tell that the longneck looked deeply disturbed, and thus... easy to manipulate. I called her over to the cliffs, and pretended to be…sympathetic to her story. That whining longneck complained on and on about how everybody was going to be in danger and desperately wanted help. She told me that everyone was in grave danger because there was a hungry sharptooth hiding in the Great Valley. She desperately wanted to kill the sharptooth so that it couldn't hurt anybody, but she was too afraid to try and fight it herself. Of course, I knew that the sharptooth was friendly with leafeaters, but I didn't tell her that. I consoled the grass guzzling fool, and I promised her that me and my friends would help kill the sharptooth. But in return, we asked for two nests worth of eggs and to help us get into the Great Valley. She took a little convincing, but she finally accepted, deciding that killing the sharptooth was more important than the lives of a few eggs."

The Great Valley dinosaurs looked at each other in horror before Ozzy continued, "We laid out a plan to strike that night. Cam, Mia, and our pack plotted before we came to a simple, easy plan."

Another eggstealer then smirked and said, "It started when I ran through the Great Valley and placed footprints to make it look like the sharptooth was on a rampage. Our footprints and young sharptooth footprints look very similar, so this would be an easy way to trick you. We knew that this would get you to think that the sharptooth had been on the prowl and was looking for a chance to make a kill, and that the only reason it had not done so already was that it was afraid of being caught."

"Next, I did my part," a tiny eggstealer smirked, sneering happily. "Late that night when you all were asleep, I sneaked into the cave where I knew the sharptooth slept. I carried a piece of particularly strong smelling meat and wafted it right by its nose. It couldn't resist the smell of fresh meat, and it lost control of its hunger completely. While still sleeping, the sharptooth stood up and sleepwalked over to me, blindly following the scent of the meat. So I led the sleeping sharptooth out of the cave and through Great Valley. The sharptooth continued to follow my every move, and eventually, I got to Mia, who was lying on the ground and preparing for her part in the plan. Her part of the plan was to scream when the sharptooth arrived so that you would wake up, see the out of control sharptooth, and instantly kill it. As I drew closer, I darted off to the side so nobody would see me, just when the sharptooth approached Mia."

Ozzy growled, "Then your stupid children showed up, and ruined our original plan. Originally, the sharptooth was supposed to be killed off at the start, then you would argue with each other about who was to blame for the attack. Then our fast biters would've attacked and in the confusion, we would've be able to sneak in. But being friends with the sharptooth, your children ruined the plan by leading the sharptooth to safety."

"But it matters not that the sharptooth is still alive. You believed everything you were supposed to, that the sharptooth was on a killing spree through the Great Valley that night, biting Mia's neck and eating all of the clubtails' eggs. But Mia's so-called bite, which you finally managed to figure out, was just a big leaf covered with sweet bubble dye that we wrapped around her neck to look like a bite. And as for the eggs? While you were all sleeping and the children were busy with Mia and the sharptooth, Cam snuck over to the clubtail's nest, took their eggs, and hid them in a cave. But your reactions… they were the best part. I had no idea that grass guzzlers were capable of such vengeful desires. Your need for revenge has caused most of your residents to track down and kill the sharptooth, causing your precious Great Valley to be nearly abandoned…making our attack even easier than we expected."

The parents, Ali, and Tricia looked at each other in disbelief, while the eggstealers grinned down at them, relishing their triumph.

"Your kids caught on eventually and tracked us down to our headquarters and are holding up some of our army," Ozzy drawled. "But it doesn't matter. Even though the plan didn't go as originally intended, it ended up even better for us. The sharptooth will be dead anyway, so will your children once our forces beat them, and most of you sapsuckers stupidly left to hunt the sleeping sharptooth. And because of this…"

Ozzy whistled, and the eggstealers and fast biters moved to the edge of the cliff, licking their lips. "Your numbers are very low and we've gotten our chance to attack!"

With that, the eggstealers and fast biters began to make battle cries, and abruptly, they began to claw at trees on the cliffs above the Great Valley and chop them down, creating log walkways that would allow them to enter the Great Valley.

While the eggstealers and fast biters began to work on their entrance, the Great Valley dinosaurs looked at each other sadly and began to whisper to each other.

"We should've believed the children all along…" Mama Flyer sighed. "If we did, none of this would have happened."

"But there's nothing we can do about this now," Mama Swimmer added. "There's eggstealers and fast biters everywhere, and we can't get the search party home to help us on time."

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, however, looked at each other, and nodded. Then, they looked at the others as Grandpa Longneck began to speak. "Listen everyone! We've got to…"

"Look here Longneck, who are you to act all high and mighty? If you are so smart, you would've known that the children…" Mr. Threehorn began, but Grandma Longneck interrupted him.

"Nobody knew that the children were right, and nobody is pretending to," Grandma Longneck replied. "But while we can't go back in time and do everything over again, we can follow their example… and I'm sure that they wouldn't be standing here arguing. Instead, they would be fighting to defend the Great Valley and our eggs and take on those monsters!"

Everyone looked at each other, and smiled. "You're right," Ali said. "That's exactly what Littlefoot and the rest of my friends would do if they were here. We should start coming up with a plan."

"Well for starters, we need somebody to make sure that all of the eggs are taken care of," Grandpa Longneck began.

"I'll do that," Mama Swimmer passionately replied. "I've raised lots of eggs before and I'll guard them with my life. I'll run through the Great Valley and collect the eggs before the eggstealers get here, and then when they come, I'll protect all the eggs from harm. They'll need to think again if they want to hurt our babies!"

Everyone nodded, agreeing that Mama Swimmer would be the best choice to guard the eggs. Mama Swimmer ran off and began collecting eggs, and everyone else looked at each other and continued to plan.

"First I'll make sure that all of the children are safe. If Ms. Swimmer gets into trouble, I can be her backup," Mama Flyer suggested. "But for now I think I should be at the frontlines. Our enemies will be there now, so that's where we've got to put our focus. But since I can fly back and forth, I can reach Ms. Swimmer quickly if she needs any help."

Everyone nodded with agreement, and Mama Flyer flew off to escort the children to safety. Then Mr. Threehorn grunted to catch everyone's attention. "And as for the rest of us," he growled. "We will fight those rockheads off and make sure they're sorry for ever coming here!"

"Right you are Mr. Threehorn," Grandpa Longneck replied. "Now, let's guard the borders and make sure that those monsters don't get anywhere."

Everyone nodded determinedly, and hurriedly Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Mr. Threehorn, Tria and Ali rushed towards the edge. They all stood and looked up at the great wall, preparing themselves to repel the attackers. Tria, however, turned, and saw a sight that made her gasp. Tricia was standing by her side, shaking her frill determinedly and growling threateningly.

"Tricia!" Tria gasped, and at once, she pushed Tricia back. "You should be going with Ms. Flyer to the caves! You can't fight! You're too young to put yourself in danger!"

"But Mom, I wanna help!" Tricia burst out. "I wanna teach those sharpteeth a lesson!"

"I understand Tricia, but you're still just a kid," Tria cried.

"So what if I'm a kid?" Tricia replied determinedly. "Cera and her friends were kids when they put a stop to that sharptooth! You guys are gonna need all the help you can get, and I wanna help you stop 'em once and for all!"

Tria looked at Tricia nervously, and she saw the same stubborn look that she had seen on Cera's face for all these years. "Okay Tricia, but promise to be careful!" Tria answered nervously.

"Thanks Mom, and I will," Tricia told her, and the two of them rejoined the rest of the group in standing together as they watched the Great Valley's cliffs, preparing for the fast biters and eggstealers to make their attack.


	28. Final Preparations

Chapter 28: Final Preparations

Meanwhile, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Chomper, Ruby, Bron, Shorty and the baby clubtails were hurrying over to the Great Valley, following the eggstealer tracks that they knew would lead them there. Everyone was exhausted from running for what had seemed to be ages, but they knew they had to keep on going, for the survival of everyone in the Great Valley was at stake.

"How far are we?" Cera asked Ruby and Chomper, who had taken this path when they left the Great Valley.

"Not too far," Ruby replied. "If we keep going like this, we'll get there by the time the bright circle rises all the way to the top."

"Yeah," Chomper added. "My sniffer is telling me that we're pretty close."

Nodding with this encouraging piece of news, everyone kept on running to the Great Valley. Abruptly, however, they heard a little gurgle, and some happy little gasps. Turning, Ducky noticed that to her horror, one of the clubtails was walking curiously to a nearby cliff, and was excitedly saying, "Exploreeee!"

"No no no!" Ducky gasped, and she ran over to the baby clubtail, who was happily dancing and giggling near the very edge of the cliff. Suddenly, the rock began to crumble, and the baby clubtail began to lose his balance.

"I'm coming!" Ducky exclaimed frantically. She rushed over to the clubtail and arrived just when the cliff's edge began to crumble. With all her determination, Ducky reached over the cliff and was barely able to catch the squirming baby clubtail just as he began to fall. The clubtail, however didn't seem to be worried as Ducky held onto him tightly, trying to pull him and herself up. The other clubtails were still giggling excitedly, and inspired by the first clubtail's behavior, a second clubtail then ran toward another part of the cliff. Before anyone could react, the baby clubtail jumped off the cliff and made a loud giggle.

"Oh no!" Ducky gasped, still trying to pull up the first baby clubtail.

"Me coming, clubtail!" Petrie exclaimed determinedly. The clubtail smiled as she fell, tumbling nearer and nearer to the hard rocks on the ground. Petrie swooped down hurriedly, racing the clubtail to the bottom. Everyone hurried to the edge of the cliff and looked down in terror, knowing that if Petrie couldn't stop the clubtail on time, the clubtail would be in danger of death from hitting the rocks. But just as the clubtail was about to hit the rocks, Petrie reached the ground and stuck out his wing. The clubtail bounced off Petrie's wing and tumbled onto the soft grass below. Everyone cheered as the clubtail began to walk, but Petrie hurriedly scooped her up and flew her back, saying, "Me think you very naughty…" The clubtail giggled as Petrie carried her above.

"Thank you Petrie," Ducky told him, who was now fully on the cliff again and holding the first clubtail tightly. Petrie then gave the second clubtail to Ducky, who placed the two clubtails by the other four, who were still looking on with admiring amazement. Ducky bent down to them and said, "You babies should try to be safe…if you want to be with your mommies and daddies, you should not put yourselves in danger like that!"

"How many times has it been now that they've gotten themselves in trouble?" Cera asked impatiently. Everyone knew Cera had a point, since the clubtails had been up to all sorts of dangerous mischief, from trying to swim in very deep lakes to headbutting rocks that were much larger than themselves. "We'll never be able to help the grownups if the clubtails keep slowing us down!"

"You're right, Cera," Bron told her. "We might not get to the Great Valley in time if we keep on having to rescue them."

"But we cannot abandon the babies, they need us, they do!" Ducky cried out. "It would not be good if we leave them alone out here, oh no no no!"

"Calm down Ducky," Littlefoot told her gently. "No one's talking about abandoning them, and we'll make sure that they'll get to their parents safe and sound."

"Yeah, after all we've gone through to save them, we're not gonna just leave them here," Cera consolingly added.

"Well then what we do?" Petrie asked.

Bron sighed. "I think it would be best if Shorty and I take care of them. Since we don't live in the Great Valley, we don't have your advantage of knowing the battlefield. And since we are big enough to carry all the babies on our backs, we can lead them to the Great Valley while keeping them safe. You guys should keep going, because those eggstealers could already be there and your parents will need all the help they can get."

"Right," everyone replied. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Ruby and Chomper began to walk away, but abruptly, Shorty walked up to them.

"Dad, can I join them?" Shorty asked pleadingly. "I want to help Littlefoot out."

"Oh, all right Shorty. Don't worry, I'll be able to take care of the clubtails on my own. I'll see you all later in the Great Valley," Bron told everyone. Then he rubbed his neck against Littlefoot's and Shorty's and then he turned to face all of the kids and said, "Good luck everyone."

"Bye," the kids told Bron in response, and they began to hurry off to the Great Valley's edge. Hurrying at breakneck speed, they followed the eggstealer path that they knew would lead them right to the Great Valley, worrying about everything that might be happening there.

"You can let me at the eggstealers right away! They'll be fun to stop!" Chomper explained confidently as he ran, licking his lips.

"But these eggstealers really tough!" Petrie exclaimed. "Me don't know if we can stop them…and me scared!"

"Come on Petrie," Cera told him. "Now's not the time to be afraid! We'll show those egg thieves that we're not babies!"

Littlefoot nodded and added, "Even though these eggstealers will be tough, I know we can find a way to stop them! We've got to, for everyone in the Great Valley depends on us!"

But then as everyone kept running, they couldn't help but to pause, for they heard a sound that made them look at each other in horror. Listening intently, they heard loud shrieks emanating from the distance, along with the sound of furious growls and hisses.

"Me think we near home!" Petrie called out, and they continued to move on.

"Oh no no no! The fight must have already started!" Ducky gasped worriedly.

Then suddenly, Chomper sniffed the air and gave the others a horrified expression.

"What's wrong, Chomper?" Littlefoot asked him concernedly.

"Guys, hurry on without me!" he exclaimed. "There's a big sharptooth coming this way! He must be heading to the Great Valley too! I'll hold him off while you guys go in…"

"Chomper, you can't be serious!" Littlefoot shouted.

"The sharptooth could kill you!" Cera cried.

"I have to do this, guys. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll just speak sharptooth and maybe that'll lure him away… I'll be back soon, promise!" Chomper replied.

Everyone looked at each other nervously, before the sharptooth made a loud roar from nearby. "Hurry!" Chomper exclaimed. "I'll take care of him! If you wait any longer, everyone else would be in big trouble!"

The others nodded nervously, but they realized that they had no choice but to keep going. They hurriedly scampered down the eggstealer footprint trail as Chomper began issuing roars to the other sharptooth, with their minds racing as they worried about the prospect of Chomper fighting with the other sharptooth. But then they were distracted when Petrie made a loud, abrupt gasp. "Guys! Me see Great Valley now!" he exclaimed.

Everyone looked down, and they saw that below the cliffs they were on stood the Great Valley. Below they could see some movement, though they quickly realized that this was not where the main battle was taking place. Upon closer inspection, they saw that Mama Swimmer was standing alone by a cave, standing in front of it defensively as she scanned the area, looking very nervous.

"Poor Mama!" Ducky gasped. "She must be guarding all of the eggs, she must… it must be hard for her to do it all alone…"

"Looks like the grownups have split up," Littlefoot muttered. "I think we have to split up in order to help everyone out."

"Good idea," Ducky exclaimed. "I wanna help Mama protect the babies!"

"Me come too," Petrie gasped, and then Spike walked forward.

"You want to help Mama too, right Spike?" Ducky asked. Spike nodded determinedly.

Ducky then turned to Petrie and asked, "Ready to save everyone's babies, Petrie?"

"Me ready, Ducky!" Petrie exclaimed happily, and the two of them hugged each other. "Want to ride me down?"

Ducky nodded excitedly and replied, "Oh yes yes yes!" and she climbed aboard Petrie's back. Then she looked at Spike and concernedly asked him, "But what about you, Spike? How will you get down?"

But before she could finish asking, Spike had jumped off the cliff and landed in the Great Valley. "Spike is ready too, yep yep yep," Ducky laughed.

Then Ducky and Petrie turned to face Littlefoot, Cera, Ruby and Shorty. "See you soon!" Ducky exclaimed.

Littlefoot smiled gently at them. "Good luck!" he exclaimed.

"Show 'em for us!" Cera added determinedly, and Ducky waved affectionately back at them.

"Hold on tight, Ducky!" Petrie gasped, and he launched himself off the cliff and flew down to the ground with Ducky clutching onto him.

"I guess let's get going," Ruby said, and so she, Littlefoot, Cera, and Shorty ran along the edge of the Great Valley, looking for the eggstealers and the other grownups.

The group continued to hurry on, but they couldn't see anyone below them. All they noticed below them were vast forested areas. It was only then when they realized just how many trees there were in the Great Valley. Ruby abruptly stopped, and then she told them, "Guys…I think I'm too little to be of much use in direct combat."

Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty nodded understandingly, knowing that she was probably right. Ruby then said, "But since I'm little, I'm gonna use my size to my advantage. I'll be in the forests down here, launching sneak attacks on them. I think somebody needs to give them a nasty midfight surprise, and my small size makes me really good at giving them surprises. I'll come up with something…but I don't know how to get down…"

"I have an idea," Cera told Ruby, and she briefly hurried into the nearby forest. She came back, carrying a long, wide vine off some trees. "Use this to get down safely."

"You can use that for stopping the eggstealers too!" Littlefoot exclaimed. "Tie the vine around the trees, then way you can trip the eggstealers and slow them down. "And I bet there's more vines in the Great Valley too, so you can make many traps!"

"You can also try stopping them with rocks," Shorty suggested. "Those eggstealers may look tough, but falling rocks are powerful, and one hit will knock 'em out easily!"

Ruby nodded, and said, "Thanks for the advice guys!"

Everyone smiled back at her, before Cera set the vine on the ground, and Shorty stood on the vine while Ruby grabbed onto it. Taking a deep breath, Ruby exclaimed, "Here goes!" With that, she hurriedly slid down the vine, dropping further and further down until she was only a small blip from above. "Good luck guys!" Ruby shouted, waving at them as she reeled in the vine. Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty smiled down at her, before she ran into the forest with her vine and began to tie vine traps up. Then, Littlefoot, Cera, and Shorty turned to look at each other for one last time.

"Well?" Littlefoot asked Cera and Shorty. "Are you ready for this?"

"Ready?" Cera laughed. "You bet I am! I can't wait to have a go at them!"

"Yeah!" Shorty added confidently. "I'm sure we can handle this!"

Littlefoot happily nodded in determination, and together, the three young dinosaurs quickly walked along the Great Valley's edge, looking down to see if they could find the eggstealers and the other grownups, but all they could see was the expanses of trees where they dropped Ruby off.

But just then, Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty heard some loud, threatening roars. Turning, their hearts plummeted as they saw that a large pack of fast biters was hurrying toward them, hungrily licking their lips and preparing their claws.

"Of all the rotten luck," Cera growled.

"Get out of our way, rockheads!" Shorty snapped.

The sharpteeth, not being able to understand him, continued to race towards them, preparing for the attack. Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty stood determinedly and prepared their whiptails and horns to repel the oncoming invasion.

"What a good time for a sharptooth attack," Cera growled as she stabbed a sharptooth.

"Ouch!" Shorty gasped, for a fast biter had just delivered a small bite to him. Littlefoot hurriedly whipped the fast biter away, but then another one lunged right at him.

"Urgh!" Cera shouted, and she yelled, "I've had enough of you, rockheads!" With that, she managed to stab the sharptooth just before it could bite Littlefoot's ankle.

Littlefoot growled, "Get out of the way now, sharpteeth!"

The eggstealers ignored them, and they continued to attack. Another one then lunged at Cera, but Littlefoot managed to flatten it quickly. The fast biters kept on landing attack after attack, but apart from a couple of small bites on each of Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty, their attacks were not successful, and they began to lose steam. Littlefoot, Cera, and Shorty took advantage of their momentum and hurriedly landed several blows on the mob, but like with the eggstealers that they fought before, these fast biters seemed to keep on recovering and getting back up.

"I know we can beat them," Littlefoot muttered.

"But they're sure slowing us down," Cera growled.

"If only the others were here, then we could be able to stop them faster," Shorty sighed.

But just as Shorty said that, a familiar voice called out, "Need help?"

Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty turned, and gasped as they saw that a boxy-headed and white longneck were running towards them. As Littlefoot, Cera, and Shorty continued to land blow after blow upon the sharpteeth, the two longnecks used their whiptails to slam the already weakened fast biters on the ground, landing the final blow on each one they hit. The arrival of the two longnecks in the battle helped break the stalemate, and soon afterward most of the weakened pack was killed and the rest of the pack, recognizing defeat, began to scatter off. Then Littlefoot, Cera, and Shorty gasped as they looked at the two longnecks that were standing by them.

"Mia…Cam…" Littlefoot muttered, hardly daring to believe his eyes.

"You…you helped us?" Cera asked, with a very stunned expression in her eyes.

"Yeah," Mia answered. "Come on…let's get going."

Still in disbelief that Mia and Cam had suddenly helped them out, Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty allowed Mia and Cam to join them as they followed the eggstealer footprints.

"We're sorry for everything we did," Cam explained, crying softly. "You guys were right all along. Those eggstealers tricked us. We didn't want to steal the eggs…"

Mia continued, "Cam, it wasn't your fault. It was mine. If only I hadn't believed that stupid, rotten Ozzy. But I swear we didn't want this to happen. Our intentions were good, we only did this because we wanted to save the Great Valley. We were scared of the sharptooth, see, and that's what caused us to do this, because the eggstealers promised to help us out. We had no idea that these eggstealers would want to kill everyone like this…can you forgive us?"

Littlefoot, Cera, and Shorty looked at each other, before Littlefoot sighed, "Okay...and thanks for helping us."

"It was the least we could do," Cam answered sweetly. Then she and Mia turned to Cera and Mia said, "We're sorry for our rough previous meetings and for everything that we said that we shouldn't have…can you forgive…"

"Well, maybe I will, and maybe I won't," Cera playfully teased, but upon seeing their sad, serious expressions, she quickly said, "Okay fine. I forgive you."

Shorty then asked, "So what's going on now?"

"It's not looking very good," Mia explained. "The eggstealers formed an alliance with the fast biters and they seem to be on a killing spree," Mia explained. "They're amazingly stubborn and tough for their size. Don't worry about other sharpteeth coming, more will come, but we'll stand back and repel them. Just make sure you three get to the Great Valley quickly!"

"Right," Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty told Mia and Cam. Just then, they saw another wave of fast biters coming, and while Mia and Cam nodded and hurried back to fight the sharpteeth, Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty proceeded onward to the Great Valley.

"I'm glad they're good inside," Littlefoot told Cera and Shorty in relief, who nodded in agreement. They couldn't see anything as they kept running, but then Shorty paused and lifted his head up high in the air.

"I see them! They're over at the edge!" Shorty declared, and he began to race forward.

Hurriedly, Littlefoot and Cera followed Shorty as they ran along the Great Valley rim. But then as they reached the corner, they stopped and gasped. A large battlefield lay below them, and the first thing that they saw that many fast biters had come to join in the fight. Littlefoot and Cera instantly recognized the two largest fast biters as Screech and Thud, Redclaw's old minions, who seemed to be leading the rest of the fast biters.

The sight of the fast biters made Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty even madder as they looked on in closer inspection and they saw some sights that made their hearts pang. Grandpa Longneck and Tria were both lying on the ground, and Grandma Longneck and Mr. Threehorn stood determinedly over their fallen spouses. Meanwhile, Ali was trapped in a corner by a small pack of eggstealers and fast biters, determinedly whipping them away with all her might, but her persistent opponents managed to get back up after every hit. They also saw that Mama Flyer was being held down by a couple of eggstealers, and they saw that Tricia was putting up a vigorous struggle against an eggstealer, but the eggstealer plainly had the upper hand, for Tricia's little horn was no match for the battleworn eggstealer.

The eggstealers and fast biters were all smirking in triumph, and Ozzy walked up to Grandma Longneck and Mr. Threehorn.

"The battle's over, sapsuckers," Ozzy drawled menacingly. "You tried to resist us…but your efforts proved to be in vain. Now, why don't you two minimize your damage and spare yourselves? Your spouses are going to die to our fast biters anyway, but if you two get out of our way, we'll spare your lives. Now just make it easy and surrender your mates and your eggs to us."

"We're not giving in, eggstealers!" Grandma Longneck shouted. "I may be old, but I'm going to fight to make sure that you won't have the chance to murder my husband!"

"You eggstealers should know not to mess with a threehorn, particularly one, whose, uh, well… close one has just been injured!" Topps roared angrily.

"Tut tut…well, I guess it's just time to attack…" Ozzy began calmly, but then, high above, Littlefoot shouted, "Hold on a second!"

Everyone in the Great Valley looked up, and gasped as they saw Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty standing at the edge of the cliff. Grandma Longneck and Mr. Threehorn exchanged delighted looks with each other, thrilled to see their kids again, and Ali and Tricia let out delighted cheers. "You eggstealers and rockheads aren't gonna hurt anyone anymore! Now get out, for this is our home where our families can live in peace and happiness together!"

"Yeah, and besides, you haven't even fought us yet!" Cera declared heatedly. "If you think you've won, you've got another thought coming!"

"You tell 'em guys!" Tricia excitedly shouted from below before one of the eggstealers grabbed Tricia's mouth, shut it, and held her tightly as she fiercely began to kick the eggstealer.

"So we're warning you," Shorty shouted. "Get out of here…or you'll be sorry!"

The eggstealers looked above at the kids and laughed. "Go on and try to stop us, you overgrown eggs. I'm sure our fast biters would find you all to be delicious entrees…"

"Don't say we didn't warn you then!" Littlefoot growled, and he, Cera, and Shorty took one last look at each other, nodded determinedly, and without another word, the three of them jumped down and prepared to defend the ones that they loved.


	29. Protecting the Parents

Chapter 29: Protecting the Parents

Gritting their teeth, Littlefoot, Cera and Shorty hurled themselves off the cliff and rushed over to join the battle. The moment they touched the ground, a crowd of fast biters leapt at the three of them. But they were ready for the fast biters, and together, they managed to whip, horn, or stomp on many of the fast biters, causing some of them to be unable to fight and others to retreat.

"Ozzy," an eggstealer cried out. "These kids look really tough!"

"Shut up!" Ozzy growled. "We're not gonna fail because of these overgrown eggs. We'll make them sorry." Then he turned to Littlefoot, Cera, and Shorty and growled, "You sapsucking pests have asked for it."

"Oh, I'm terrified!" Cera snarled sarcastically.

But then, Shorty turned, and noticed that Ali was fighting valiantly against a gang of fast biters. She was whipping her tail with vigor and causing many fast biters to fall to the ground, but many of them managed to get back up after getting hit. Hurriedly, Shorty took a running start and charged toward the fast biters. The fast biters roared in confusion as Shorty stood next to Ali's side.

"You're gonna have to take us both on!" Shorty shouted.

The eggstealers nervously looked at each other before they launched an attack, but Ali and Shorty were ready for them. With their whiptails at the ready, Ali and Shorty managed to hit every sharptooth that was attacking them and before they knew it, the pack of sharpteeth all either lay unconscious or retreated.

"Thanks for helping me out," Ali told Shorty brightly. "My name is Ali… who are you?"

"I'm Shorty," Shorty introduced himself. "I'm Littlefoot's foster brother."

Ali nodded admiringly at him. "I should've known…you seem to be just as brave as him," she told him sweetly.

"Gee thanks…for comparing me to that flathead," Shorty teased affectionately, and the two of them gently laughed to each other.

"We seem to make a great team…why don't you help me out?" Ali suggested happily. "I've been guarding the border to keep the eggstealers and fast biters from coming in. There seems to be more of them now thanks to all the noise down here, so let's work together to stop them!"

"Sure!" Shorty exclaimed happily, and he and Ali smiled at each other.

"Right," Ali told him. "Now all you need to do is just stand by the edge and…"

But just then, two fast biters walked over to the cliff and prepared to jump in. Quickly, Ali and Shorty each grabbed a fast biter and slammed them onto the Great Valley ground far below.

"Great job!" Ali exclaimed. "I think you get the idea already." Looking at each other friendlily, the two longnecks continued to stand side by side by the Great Valley's cliff, grabbing all of the eggstealers and fast biters they could and slamming, whipping and stomping their foes to their defeat.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the battlefield, two fast biters had successfully gotten ahold of Tricia. The two sharpteeth were arguing with each other, standing on either side of Tricia and pulling her back and forth.

_"That's my threehorn!" _one of them growled in sharptooth.

_"No, it's mine!" _the other one snapped back.

Tricia meanwhile, let out a loud scream. The fast biters tried to shut her mouth, but it was too late. Suddenly, the fast biters felt the ground rumble below them and they screamed loudly. Turning, Tricia's heart rose as she saw that Cera was charging over to them. Within a few short seconds, Cera had managed to stab both fast biters with her horns, causing them both to fall onto the ground. Then Tricia jumped onto Cera's back and Cera carried her away to safety.

"Wow! Sis, that was… that was amazing!" Tricia spat out breathlessly.

Cera smiled. "Thanks! You were really brave…you were as brave as me... well, almost," and Tricia laughed. "Just be careful who you take on next time," Cera told Tricia gently.

"But by fighting tough opponents, I can be more helpful!" Tricia burst out.

Cera however, had just had a sudden idea. "Tricia," Cera told her. "There's something you can do that'd be even more helpful than fighting!"

"Really?" Tricia asked excitedly.

Cera nodded, then she put Tricia down on the grass and bent down to whisper in her ear. "Mom and Grandpa Longneck are still alive, right?"

"Yeah," Tricia answered. "They're just unconscious from being bitten. So…"

Cera smiled. "Listen. There are some light blue flowers which have special healing powers. They worked great with me when I was hurt, and so I'm sure they'll work with them too. Maybe they'll be in the forest. Ask Ruby if she's seen any of them, she's laying traps for the eggstealers in there right now. Once you find them, take them to Mama and Grandma Longneck straight away, understand?"

Tricia nodded determinedly. "I won't let you and Mom down, sis!" she exclaimed, and with that, she bounded away into the forest to look for the healing flowers.

Meanwhile, Littlefoot had hurried over to join Grandma Longneck and Mr. Threehorn guard their fallen spouses. He hurried over and stood in between Grandma Longneck and Mr. Threehorn, with his whiptail out and at the ready.

"Littlefoot! Thank goodness you're here!" Grandma Longneck exclaimed brightly. Upon seeing Littlefoot's worried expression, she explained, "Grandpa and Tria will be okay, as long as we protect them from further harm until they get a chance to recover. But these monsters are tough, and we could really use some more help!"

"We were just fine before you showed up," Mr. Threehorn growled, though he was not looking at either of them as he spoke.

"Don't mind him," Grandma Longneck told Littlefoot quietly. "He's just in a bad mood today, that's all."

"I understand," Littlefoot whispered back, strongly suspecting why Mr. Threehorn was mad at him. But before anyone could say another word, a pack of fast biters lunged at them. With great speed, Littlefoot, Grandma Longneck, and Mr. Threehorn whipped and horned away the fast biters before they could land another bite on Grandpa Longneck and Tria. The fast biters however, managed to get quickly back on their feet. And at once, a dozen fast biters lunged at them.

"Watch out!" Littlefoot exclaimed, and he quickly whipped away the middle eight fast biters. But his tail couldn't reach all the fast biters in time, and in horror, he noticed as the two farthest to the left fast biters rushed at Grandma Longneck. Grandma Longneck tried to whip away the fast biters, but thanks to her age, she wasn't quite fast enough. The fast biters had lunged and bit onto her tail with their mouths. Grandma Longneck screamed, and with that, she toppled onto the ground. Growling, Littlefoot turned and slammed the two fast biters with his tail, defeating them both in one stroke.

"Grandma…are you all right?" Littlefoot asked, noticing that her tail was bleeding profusely.

Grandma Longneck nodded. "Don't worry about me Littlefoot…just keep on fighting!"

"Right," Littlefoot told Grandma Longneck sadly but determinedly, and he stood guard over both her and Grandpa Longneck as Mr. Threehorn was still furiously defending Tria from the last two fast biters. One of the fast biters lunged at Mr. Threehorn, but he hurriedly rammed it away with his horns and growled. "You'll never get anywhere, rockhead!"

But at that moment, the other fast biter sneaked over to Mr. Threehorn's side and landed a deep bite on his back. Mr. Threehorn roared in pain, and at that moment, he fell to the ground. While hurt, he was still conscious and he looked up at the fast biter in horror as it stood on his back and attempted to land another bite. But a second later, Littlefoot lashed his tail at the fast biter, causing it to fall to its death. The second fast biter then tried to attack, but Littlefoot dispatched of it too with a whiplash that sent it flying to the rocky wall of the Great Valley, where it crashed and fell.

Mr. Threehorn looked up and saw Littlefoot, and he gasped, hardly daring to believe his eyes. "Littlefoot…you saved me," he exclaimed exhaustedly. "Why did you do that? You have your own family to defend!"

"I do," Littlefoot answered. "But I also have to defend my Great Valley family, and you're part of it, Mr. Threehorn."

Mr. Threehorn nodded, with a confused expression in his eyes. Then he determinedly growled, "Fight them, Littlefoot! Fight them off just like a threehorn would!"

Littlefoot nodded and said, "I will, Mr. Threehorn…"

"Enough blabber!" Ozzy shouted. Then he turned to Littlefoot. "I'm sure it's nice to have your final chats with them. But now that you're all by yourself…"

"No, he's not!" came an angry voice, and Littlefoot's heart leapt as he saw that Cera hurled herself towards him. She stood right by his side, and flashed her horns threateningly as she growled, "If you're gonna fight Littlefoot, you're gonna fight me too!"

"This is too precious," Ozzy told them mockingly. "I'll give you one last chance to live. Get out of the way of those overbearing parents who get in your way all the time and we'll let you live."

"You really think we'd do that?" Littlefoot asked. "We may disagree with our parents sometimes, but we're going to protect them no matter what!"

"That's right!" Cera exclaimed fiercely. "And you're not gonna lay one claw on them! We stopped your cronies back at the smoking mountain, and we're gonna stop you too!"

"Haha…what nerve," Ozzy smirked. "Unfortunately for you, that's not enough. Don't worry, sapsuckers. You won't have to suffer for long," Ozzy smirked. Hurriedly, he growled in sharptooth, _"Get those kids!"_ Screech and Thud nodded, who were standing nearby, growled in acknowledgement, before they roared to the other fast biters, _"Attack them now!"_

Many fast biters nodded, and instantly lunged at Littlefoot and Cera. But with his whiptail and her dagger-like horns, they managed to repel each fast biter away before it could land any more than a scratch of damage.

"You're not going to hurt anyone anymore," Littlefoot growled as he stomped the ground threateningly, holding up his tail as he scowled at the fast biters.

"Instead, you're going to have a taste of your own healing flowers," Cera smirked as she glared at the fast biters.

The fast biters murmured to each other, looking to Screech and Thud for advice. But Screech and Thud were no longer fighting, instead, they were busy talking to each other.

_"We've gotta get going," _Screech told Thud.

_"Yes,"_ Thud replied. _"Then they'll really be sorry."_

And with that, Screech and Thud hurried away with blinding speed. The other fast biters looked confusedly at Screech and Thud, not knowing why they were running away.

"Well," Cera smirked. "Your leaders are scared! What're you gonna do now, rockheads?"

Littlefoot and Cera growled at the confused fast biters. Behind them, Grandma Longneck and Mr. Threehorn, though injured, were still conscious, and were watching the battle intently.

"Those two work great together, don't you think?" Grandma Longneck asked Mr. Threehorn happily. To her surprise, Mr. Threehorn didn't say a word. Grandma Longneck looked into his eyes and noticed that they looked to be very uncertain and confused.

_"What are you rockheads doing?" _Ozzy growled in sharptooth._"Get them!" _The fast biters made another lunge at Littlefoot and Cera, but thanks to their lack of leadership, they were disorganized, and Littlefoot and Cera managed to easily hit each fast biter one by one, all the while keeping a close eye on their fallen parents and using their tails to block any sneak attacks from behind them.

"You brats are wasting far too much of our time!" Ozzy growled. Then he turned to the eggstealers, who had begun to join the fast biters in fighting Littlefoot and Cera. "Eggstealers…ignore them and follow me!" The eggstealers nodded. Then Ozzy roared in sharptooth, _"Keep on fighting them!"_ The fast biters growled and hungrily licked their lips. Then Ozzy led the other eggstealers away from the fight and led them deeper into the Great Valley. Littlefoot and Cera turned to try and stop the eggstealers, but before they could do anything, they had to face another barrage of fast biters. Knowing that they had to stay and protect their parents, Littlefoot and Cera continued to repel fast biter attacks while they saw the eggstealers hurry away from the fight.

"Grr…I wish we could stop them!" Cera snarled as she stabbed a fast biter with especially intense vigor.

"Yeah," Littlefoot sighed, before he reassuringly replied, "But they won't get off easy. They'll still have to face the others."

Cera nodded and as the two of them continued to ward off fast biters, their minds drifted off and began to wonder what was happening in other parts of the Great Valley.


	30. Aerial Dangers

Chapter 30: Aerial Dangers

While Littlefoot and Cera were fighting off the fast biters, Ruby was working determinedly in the forests, trying to set up traps for the eggstealers. She had found many vines hanging from the trees, and after grabbing them she tied them around the trees, creating vine traps in hopes of tripping the eggstealers and hindering their efforts. While Ruby had worked for hours, she had not heard a single sound in the forest. Wondering where the eggstealers were, Ruby tied another trap when she heard a small surprised gasp from behind her. Ruby hurried over to the voice and found that a small pink threehorn was slumped on the ground, with her back foot having just tripped over one of Ruby's vines.

"Ow! That hurt!" Tricia exclaimed.

"Oh, sorry Tricia!" Ruby gasped, and she hurried over to help prop her back up. "I'm just making traps for the eggstealers," Ruby explained.

"Well, they work!" Tricia happily exclaimed. Then she remembered why she was in the forest in the first place. "Hey Ruby," she asked. "Have you seen any blue healing flowers?"

"Hmm…" Ruby answered, before saying, "I think so. Look deep in the forest and you should find them. But watch out! My traps are everywhere, so make sure to crawl under them. And watch out for the eggstealers too. They'll come this way once they get the chance! Is anyone hurt?"

"Mommy and Grandma Longneck are out cold, and Daddy and Grandpa Longneck are awake but unable to fight," Tricia explained.

"Right," Ruby replied sadly. "Get as many flowers as you can carry. You're going to need a lot to heal all of them."

"I will Ruby, thanks!" Tricia exclaimed, and she scuttled off through the forest, determined to find the healing flowers. But just as Tricia vanished into the forest, Ruby heard some ominous panting sounds.

"How…how much longer, Ozzy!" an eggstealer yelled out.

"Not far now," Ozzy answered. "Now hurry up, you numskulls!"

Ruby then prepared to scurry off to find some rocks to hurl at the eggstealers. But before she could make a move, she heard a voice from above.

"Psst…Ruby!" the voice called out. Ruby turned, and before she knew it, she felt herself being hurled up into the air. Looking up, she saw that Mama Flyer was carrying her up beyond the tops of the trees and over the forest.

"Ms. Flyer!" Ruby exclaimed. "I'm glad to see you!"

Mama Flyer nodded before saying, "Great job with the traps, Ruby!" as they heard the unmistakable shrieks and thuds of eggstealers tripping on the vines.

"I guess they work," Ruby laughed to Mama Flyer. "Good thing you got me when you did, they sure are mad!"

Mama Flyer nodded. "I don't think you can go back down there, Ruby. Those eggstealers can corner you down there, and there's many of them and only one of you."

Ruby nodded in agreement, but she said, "That's okay. I've done all I could down there…but I can do something else. Ms. Flyer, would you mind carrying me over the forest?"

"Not at all," Mama Flyer smiled. Ruby then boarded Mama Flyer's back and told her, "Fly right to the top of the trees."

Mama Flyer nodded, then Ruby reached down and grabbed some large fruits from one of the trees above, and then upon hearing the sounds of eggstealers, she pelted the fruits down upon them. The eggstealers began to screech in pain and anger, as Ozzy screamed, "Show yourself!"

Ruby laughed softly before she grabbed more fruits and threw them down, while Mama Flyer began to pick up some fruits with her beak and drop them down herself.

But then, they heard a loud scream from below. Ruby's heart sunk. "That's Tricia!" she exclaimed. Mama Flyer nodded, and she said, "Hang on tight Ruby!" before she plunged down into the forest. Mama Flyer hurriedly flew past tree after tree, and her's and Ruby's hearts kept on beating as they were wondering what was happening below them. Then, they saw that an eggstealer had grabbed ahold of Tricia, who was biting his arm angrily while keeping her tail wrapped around the healing flowers that she had collected. "I found her! The pipsqueak who set up all these traps!" the eggstealer roared.

But Mama Flyer rocketed right into the eggstealer, causing him to topple facefirst onto the ground. Tricia was hurled up into the air, but Ruby stretched out to catch her, and then Ruby placed her in her lap.

"Thanks!" Tricia exclaimed, smiling, before she waved her tail and showed her flowers. "I found lots of flowers!"

"Great!" Ruby smiled. "Now all we need to do is to find a safe way for you to get back…"

But as Ruby said that, Mama Flyer gasped, "Oh no!"

Ruby and Tricia turned to gasp, and to their horror, they saw that two fanged flyers were hurrying over to them, snapping their jaws at them.

"We've got to get away!" Mama Flyer exclaimed. "These aren't normal flyers, they're sharptooth flyers!"

Ruby, however, shook her head, and said, "We've got to stop them!"

"How…" Mama Flyer began, but Ruby and Tricia whispered to each other and nodded, coming up with a plan. Tricia then began to dance in Ruby's lap and jeer at the sharptooth flyers, tauntingly saying, "Can't catch me! Can't catch me!"

The sharptooth flyers looked at each other and growled at Tricia. "What did you do that for?" Mama Flyer asked. "They're going to follow us!"

"That's the point," Tricia smirked, and Ruby smiled.

Mama Flyer looked nervously at Tricia and Ruby, but she kept on going. "Now…down to the trees," Ruby suggested.

Then, Mama Flyer understood. "Oh, I get it…you want to stop those flyers before they can hurt anybody, is that it?"

Ruby and Tricia nodded, as Tricia continued to provocatively taunt the sharptooth flyers. Ruby then reached below her and grabbed two very heavy large fruits from the treetops and held onto them tightly as the sharptooth flyers approached, roaring and snapping at Tricia.

Just as the sharptooth flyers caught up to them, Tricia blew a raspberry at them and smirked. Enraged, the sharptooth flyers tried to snap at Tricia. But before they could make another move, Ruby held one of the fruits behind her head which slammed one of the sharptooth flyers and with the force of the fruit, the sharptooth flyer fell down to the ground where it died.

Upon seeing the death of its comrade, the other sharptooth flyer shrieked in rage. Ruby threw her other fruit at the flyer, but the flyer dodged the fruit and it splattered to the ground. "Hurry! I need another one!" Ruby shouted, and Mama Flyer gasped as she swerved out of the way to dodge the flyer. But then, just as Ruby reached out to grab another fruit, the flyer raced over and successfully bit her arm. Ruby shrieked as she felt a surge of pain course through her arm, and at once, she dropped the fruit where it too splattered on the ground. The sharptooth flyer tried to bite Ruby again, but Mama Flyer slapped it in the face with her wing before hurtling off into the sky, with the sharptooth flyer close on her tail.

"Ruby!" Tricia exclaimed, breathing breathlessly. She then cried desperately, "Eat!" and she handed Ruby a healing flower. Ruby carefully bit off a petal, not wanting to take too much away from the grownups. Ruby's arm began to feel better and the bleeding began to slow, but just then, Tricia screamed as the sharptooth flyer managed to bite her frill.

Instantly, Ruby threw the flower back to Tricia, who bit off another couple petals and began to recover herself.

"This is really dangerous. You two are going to need some time to fully recover. I'm going to fly up into the air and try to dodge him," Mama Flyer told Ruby and Tricia. "Tell me when your arm gets better, Ruby, then you can manage to land another fruit on him."

"Right," Ruby and Tricia replied, and Mama Flyer rocketed up into the sky. The sharptooth flyer followed and growled at them, shuttling after them at breakneck speed. Mama Flyer swerved in every which way she could, but the sharptooth flyer was continuing to close in upon them, gnashing its teeth aggressively. Then suddenly, Ruby saw that they were flying right towards a tall, thick tree. Seizing a sudden idea, Ruby gasped, "Keep flying toward it!"

Mama Flyer gasped, "Ruby…have you lost your…"

"Turn!" Ruby interrupted. Mama Flyer swerved off to the left just in time, barely averting the crash. The sharptooth flyer however, didn't react in time, and he crashed into the tree, where he fatally fell to the ground.

Ruby, Tricia, and Mama Flyer cheered as they saw the flyer fall.

"We're safe!" Ruby exclaimed, and she hugged Tricia happily.

Just then, Ruby saw that some large leaves were hanging from the tree. She reached out and grabbed the leaf, and then told Tricia, "Tricia…wear one of those leaves!"

"Why?" Tricia asked.

"So no one will notice you," Ruby whispered. "If you drape the leaf over you, the fast biters and eggstealers won't be able to see you. Then you can sneak back to the grownups and you can give them their flowers."

"Right," Tricia added. Mama Flyer landed on the ground below, and Tricia got off, still holding her flowers tightly, while Ruby draped the leaf over her back. She now strongly resembled a grassy green mound and it was hard to make out the little pink threehorn underneath.

"See you later then!" Tricia exclaimed, and under her leaf, she scooted off to find the grownups. Just then, Ruby and Mama Flyer saw a sight above that caught their attention, and instantly hurried over to help out.


	31. War on the Valley

Chapter 31: War on the Valley

At the far end of the Great Valley, Mama Swimmer was standing on guard in front of the entrance to a narrow cave. She had carefully collected all of the eggs that she could find, and stashed them all in the cave so she could guard them all at once. Listening carefully, she heard the shrieks and roars of the fight from the distance, but she couldn't yet hear the sound of anyone approaching her. Mama Swimmer sighed as she stared at the sky above, hoping with all of her heart that all of her eggs would be safe...

"At last!" came a voice from nearby. Mama Swimmer quickly looked down and saw that an aggressive looking pack of eggstealers was charging towards her. Hurriedly, Mama Swimmer picked up a log that she had prepared for a weapon, and she leered at the approaching eggstealers.

"Get away from here, eggstealers!" Mama Swimmer growled.

"Hahahaha…sorry, but no," Ozzy sneered. "Your sapsucking friends back there are putting on quite a show. But while they may have tried, they were unable to stop us."

"I'm warning you...get away!" Mama Swimmer cried out as she began to swing her log.

The eggstealers stared at Mama Swimmer, then bent over laughing. "Hahaha!" Ozzy sneered. "A bigmouth wants to be a loghitter…how charming."

"Hey! You cannot make fun of my mama like that, oh no no no!" came a voice from above. Mama Swimmer looked above her, hardly daring to believe her ears, and noticed a flyer was soaring down towards them, and saw that another figure was riding on top. Knowing that voice from anywhere, Mama Swimmer gasped with joy as she saw Ducky riding Petrie to the ground. The eggstealers growled at Ducky and Petrie and tried to attack them, but before they could make a move, Spike took a running start and rammed into the eggstealers, causing them to crash into each other and fall like dominoes onto the ground.

"Ducky! Spike!" Mama Swimmer cried, hugging her children and staring at them in disbelief. "You're back! I've missed you so much!"

Ducky and Spike nodded and smiled, but before Ducky could say anything, the eggstealers stood up again and glared at them.

"Enough mush," an eggstealer growled, and at once, the pack of them leaped at Mama Swimmer and tried to block the cave. Hurriedly, Ducky joined her mother in guarding the cave from the eggstealers, using her tail to try and swat away as many eggstealers as she could while Mama Swimmer continued to hit them with her log. Meanwhile, Spike was standing a little ways in front of them, spiking away any eggstealers that his dagger-like tail spikes could reach. After each time Ducky, Mama Swimmer, and Spike managed to knock down an eggstealer that didn't get back up, Petrie hurried towards it, grabbed the eggstealer with his sharp talons, and threw it on top of the cliffs.

"Get up, you numskulls!" Ozzy shouted angrily to some eggstealers that were lying on the ground. Determinedly, the eggstealers quickly got up and growled threateningly, but the battle was then paused, for everyone heard some loud footsteps. Turning, everyone gasped as they saw that a huge longneck was hurrying over to them.

"Bron!" Ducky and Petrie exclaimed at once.

Bron walked over to them, and everyone gasped as they saw that he was carrying the six clubtails on his back, all of whom were chattering happily.

"Oh my goodness…Pterano was right...they're alive!" Mama Swimmer gasped.

"No!" Ozzy shrieked. "You…you mean that our forces were beaten…and that they only got one egg?"

"Not quite," Petrie smiled. "My uncle take last egg to parents!"

Ozzy roared in anger and cried, "I've had enough of you kids ruining our plans!" Then abruptly, Ozzy turned, beckoned the eggstealers over to him, and began to come up with a strategy. Meanwhile, Mama Swimmer, Bron, Ducky, Petrie and Spike huddled together themselves.

"How was everything, Bron?" Ducky asked. "Are the babies okay?"

"They're just fine," Bron smiled. "But they still need to be watched, for they are quite the adventurers. I'm doing a good job calming them down, so I think I should watch over them."

But just then, the clubtails began to slide down Bron's back, and began to wander off. Bron hurriedly tried wrapping them in with his tail, but the clubtails continued to squirm their way away from him.

Ducky sighed. "Mama…since you've raised babies before, maybe you should help Bron keep an eye on the baby clubtails. They are really curious and need to be watched all the time. Could you help make sure that they do not get into any trouble?"

"I would Ducky, but…I have to take care of the eggs here," Mama Swimmer answered.

"I can take your place," Ducky volunteered. "Do not worry, Mama. I have taken care of eggs before and I am sure I can protect these eggs, I am."

Mama Swimmer sighed, before patting Ducky on the shoulder and saying, "Of course Ducky…"

"Thanks Mom," Ducky smiled, and she and Mama Swimmer gave each other a big hug. Then Mama Swimmer handed over her log to Ducky, and Ducky took her place in front of the cave, guarding the eggs carefully, while Mama Swimmer helped Bron stand guard over the rambunctious baby clubtails.

Petrie then flew down by Ducky's side. "Me here to help in case they get too close," he explained.

"Thank you Petrie," Ducky smiled. Then they looked out, and saw Spike practicing swinging his spiky tail at the eggstealers. "And I think Spike is ready to help too, he is!"

At last, the eggstealers broke apart, all of whom were wearing triumphant smirks on their faces. "Attack!" Ozzy shouted excitedly. The mob of eggstealers, licking their lips, split up in two groups. The smaller group rushed over to Bron and Mama Swimmer, trying to grab the baby clubtails away. But Bron and Mama Swimmer were fighting back, landing blow after blow upon the eggstealers. Still, because they had to defend the clubtail babies, they had to limit their attacks in order to make sure that the clubtails were still secure. This resulted in an ineffectual battle, where the eggstealers kept on making attacks and Bron and Mama Swimmer kept on repelling them, but neither side was able to land a decisive blow on their foes.

Meanwhile, the other eggstealers rushed forward and leaped at Ducky. Immediately, Spike swung his tail and swatted some of the eggstealers away, while Petrie dealt with the eggstealers that Spike had managed to defeat, grabbing them harshly with his claws and throwing them into the Mysterious Beyond. Despite Spike's and Petrie's best efforts however, Ducky still had to guard the eggs from a sizeable number of eggstealers, who closed in upon her with malicious grins. Hurriedly, Ducky began hammering away at the eggstealers, but while she managed to hit many of them, the eggstealers proved to be resilient and managed to get back up again.

"Surrender now, bigmouth," Ozzy called out. "You have no chance of winning. You're completely outnumbered."

"No!" Ducky exclaimed, and with that, she managed to hammer an eggstealer with her log, causing it to topple over.

"That's not very smart," Ozzy laughed, and he whistled at the woods. Abruptly, everyone gasped as another wave of other eggstealers came rushing out through the forest. Spike managed to succeed in spiking away some of the pack, and Petrie managed to fly others out of the valley, but some of them managed to reach Ducky in the cave. Ducky gasped, seeing that she was surrounded by no less than fifteen eggstealers.

"Now do you surrender?" Ozzy sneered.

Ducky shook her head defiantly, saying, "Oh no no no!"

The eggstealers growled, and hurriedly, lunged at Ducky. They all grabbed onto Ducky, and hurriedly began to scratch at her and push her away, trying to find an opportunity to take some of the eggs. Ducky continued to hammer the eggstealers with her log, but as she looked behind her, she saw that she was getting pushed closer and closer to the eggs.

"Ha ha," Ozzy smirked, as the eggstealers took in the intoxicating scent of the eggs. "Lunch is served!"

Ducky growled, and then abruptly, she had an idea. Hurriedly, she kicked the eggstealer mob, causing them all to scream and be pushed out of the cavern. Taking advantage of the situation, Ducky rushed forward and blocked the eggstealers from the cave again. She swung her log again, but just then, she looked up, and saw a sight that made her eyes sparkle with delight.

Ducky then hurriedly beckoned Petrie over. Petrie swooped down and whispered, "What is it Ducky?"

Ducky nodded excitedly. "Look at the cliffs!"

Petrie did, and then he gasped as he saw a familiar young sharptooth approaching.

"Chomper! He here!" Petrie exclaimed happily. "Me go up and help him get down!"

Ducky nodded. "Spike and I can deal with the eggstealers, we can. Good luck, Petrie!" she gasped, and then they briefly kissed before Petrie flew off to the cliffs. As he flew over, he waved to Chomper, trying to get his attention without alerting the eggstealers of his presence. Chomper understood, and waved back with his little arms. Then Petrie saw another flying form that was also flying toward Chomper. As the flyer became clearer, Petrie saw that it was none other than his mother, who was carrying Ruby on her back.

"Mama!" Petrie exclaimed as they landed on the cliff next to Chomper, and he and his mom hugged. Then the three of them turned to Chomper. "You okay, Chomper!" Petrie gasped.

"Yeah," Chomper smiled. "I just had to make some roars and that scared him. He didn't want to pick a fight with another sharptooth."

Then he looked uncertainly down at the Great Valley. "Guys…I think I should make a sneak attack on the eggstealers. But I can't just jump down, for they would notice me for sure that way. And I'm too heavy for you guys to carry…"

"Don't worry Chomper," Ruby told him brightly, and she went into the forest and grabbed another vine and draped it over the edge of the cliff. "Climb down the vine!" Ruby exclaimed.

Chomper nodded nervously. Being unable to reach the vine while standing up, he had to lie down on his belly in order to reach it. Then he nervously scooted himself on the ground before he draped his feet off the cliff and began to slip down. Thanks to his tiny arms, he couldn't pull himself down very well, and he began to kick wildly and gasp as he looked at the ground.

Just then, everyone gasped in horror as they heard the vine begin to crack. Chomper's stress and his weight had placed great stress on the vine, which was breaking ominously on him.

"My arms are too little!" Chomper shouted. "I can't hold on anymore!"

"You almost there, Chomper!" Petrie exclaimed as he continued to climb down. Chomper nervously climbed down a little more, but then he began to feel the already cracking rope shake and squirm, struggling to hold onto his weight.

"It's breaking on me!" Chomper gasped, looking fearfully as he saw only a thin strand of vine was connecting the part he was on from the top.

"Chomper, you have to jump!" Ruby exclaimed.

Chomper looked down and gasped. "I can't jump that far!" he exclaimed.

"You can do it, Chomper!" Ruby told him. "Now on the count of three, let go…one…two…"

And at that moment, Chomper let go, his mouth open in a wide scream, but knowing he had to be sneaky with the eggstealers, he made sure that no sound came out of his mouth. Mama Flyer and Petrie then swooped down, grabbing his arms as he fell, slowing his fall down and making sure he would land safely. Looking down carefully, Chomper hooked his claws onto the green grass before landing the rest of his feet, ensuring that he would make it down without a sound.

"Great job, Chomper!" Ruby cheered from above as Mama Flyer began to fly her back down to the ground, while Petrie flew along beside them.

"We make distraction while you prepare attack," Petrie said.

"Be careful! I laid a lot of traps down there, so watch out!" Ruby exclaimed.

Chomper nodded, and he hurried off into the forest where he disappeared from view. Mama Flyer, meanwhile, went off to rejoin the fight. Petrie and Ruby looked at each other and nodded, deciding to attempt to distract the eggstealers while Chomper prepared his attack. Quickly, Petrie and Ruby rushed over to the eggstealers, who were still furiously trying to fight Ducky in the cave entrance, being hindered with the efforts of Spike and Mama Flyer.

"Hey! You can't steal anyone's eggs!" Ruby cried out, and abruptly, she rammed into some eggstealers, knocking them onto the ground, which Petrie promptly picked up and threw into the Mysterious Beyond.

The eggstealers looked at each other and smirked. "Well, well well, a little pipsqueak has come to join the fight," and the eggstealers laughed at each other.

Taking advantage of their overconfidence, Ruby slammed down more eggstealers with her tail, while Spike continued to spike, Ducky continued to push, and Mama Flyer began to throw them away. Petrie, knowing that the eggstealers were thoroughly distracted, flew high above them and made a beckoning motion towards the forest.

At once, the forest began to rumble softly. The eggstealers, growling in the midst of battle and looking the other way, did not notice anything. Then, one of them looked behind him, tapped Ozzy repeatedly, and gasped, "Ozzy! Ozzy!"

"What?" Ozzy snapped.

"Sharptooth!" the eggstealer squealed.

"Don't be stupid, that's…" Ozzy began, but suddenly, most of the other eggstealers jumped up and shrieked in terror. Chomper had begun to charge towards the eggstealers, gnashing his daggerlike teeth and roaring ferociously. "You're not gonna hurt anyone!" he shouted.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't that overgrown egg I tried stealing all these years ago," Ozzy smirked. "Guess you were lucky enough to avoid that stupid sapsucker mob? Well, now you won't be so lucky. It's payback time!"

Ozzy turned behind him to command all of his eggstealers, but to his horror, the eggstealers had broken away from the fight and had begun to run helter-skelter all over the place.

"Where are you going, numskulls!" Ozzy growled.

"We're leaving Ozzy!" an eggstealer shouted. "We can't win against the sharptooth! We have to take our winnings and try again later!"

One eggstealer, however stuck behind, and smirked. "I'll fight it for you Ozzy!"

Ozzy sneered, and growled, "At least one of my followers has some competence."

The eggstealer smirked as he ran up to Chomper, muttering to himself, "Hahaha…this is my chance! All of those eggs will go to Ozzy and me and no one else!" The eggstealer giddily ran up to Chomper, leaped up, and tried to claw at his leg. However, the eggstealer's little claw was no match for Chomper's impenetrable hide.

Chomper then roared, and knowing what was about to happen, Ducky, Petrie, their mothers, Ruby and Bron closed their eyes. Then they heard the unmistakable sounds of bones being crushed and flesh being eaten, after which they heard Chomper's bright voice call out, "Aaahh…that tasted good! I'm ready for seconds!"

The eggstealers stared at each other in wide-eyed horror, and instantly, every eggstealer that was remaining in the clearing, including Ozzy, rushed away from the eggs and headed back to the front of the Great Valley, screaming at the top of their lungs.

With the passing of the eggstealers, everyone cheered. "Great job Chomper!" Ducky exclaimed.

"You really scary!" Petrie laughed as everyone smiled in relief at him.

Chomper smiled back, and said "Thanks." Then he looked behind him and saw the last eggstealers scuttling off into the forest. "I better take care of the rest of them now."

"Good luck!" everyone else exclaimed as they watched Chomper rush over to the forest.

Meanwhile, the fight continued on in the front of the Great Valley. Grandpa Longneck and Tria remained unconscious, while Grandma Longneck and Mr. Threehorn were conscious but unable to move. Littlefoot and Cera meanwhile, had continued to suffer through blow after blow, but their determination allowed them to keep on fighting. The fast biters, while their numbers had been reduced by Littlefoot and Cera's attacks, continued to growl fiercely and leap repetitively at them.

Just then however, everyone paused as loud screams began to ring out from the forest.

_"What are those bumblers up to now?"_ a fast biter asked his comrade next to him.

But before the other fast biter could answer, a huge pack of eggstealers came running out, screaming. Many of them tried heading back over to the cliffs, but Ozzy hurriedly blocked the way. "Don't leave yet, imbeciles! The fight's just getting started! We are going to cause as much harm to this valley as we can."

And almost on cue with Ozzy's words, two fast biters hurled themselves off the Great Valley's cliff. Ali and Shorty hurriedly tried grabbing them, but they missed, and the two fast biters landed right next to Ozzy and growled. Thud muttered something in Ozzy's ear, which caused him to smirk happily.

"See?" Ozzy roared. "Screech and Thud are back because they know we can win!"

Little did anyone notice, however, that during all of the commotion, a small grassy green mound was inching towards the injured grownups. When she was safely behind all of the parents, Tricia lifted off her leaf disguise and looked at her tail, still holding all the blue flowers she could carry. She hurriedly inched over to Grandma Longneck and gave her and Grandpa Longneck's half of the flowers.

"Oh my…those are healing flowers!" Grandma Longneck whispered to Tricia, who nodded happily. She hurriedly began to nibble on the flowers, and then said, "Thank you so much! I'll feed Grandpa the other ones. Go help your parents!"

Tricia nodded, and she crawled through the gap between Littlefoot's grandparents and then arrived right by her parents.

"Tricia…" Topps gasped, looking at the healing flowers. "Are those…"

Tricia hurriedly nodded, and whispered, "Eat, Daddy!"

Topps began to eat, while Tricia walked over to her mother's mouth. Tria was still unconscious, but Tricia pushed open Tria's mouth with all her might. She then stuffed all of the remaining healing flowers into Tria's mouth, before allowing it to close.

The eggstealers and fast biters, meanwhile, had begun to resume lunging at Littlefoot and Cera. But all of a sudden, the eggstealers and fast biters had a look of horror in their eyes, and they began to back away. Littlefoot and Cera turned, and saw a sight that made their hearts feel delighted.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Littlefoot exclaimed, as both of his grandparents shakily began to stand up.

"We're okay, Littlefoot," Grandpa Longneck told Littlefoot, as Grandma Longneck nodded happily.

"Dad! Tria!" Cera gasped, as Tria and Topps too began to stand up, and look at each other brightly.

"We're doing better," Tria told Cera gently. "If you want, we can help…"

"Dad, Tria, you shouldn't yet," Cera told them in response.

Grandpa and Grandma Longneck and Littlefoot who had been watching Cera's parents waking up, meanwhile, joined in the conversation. "Littlefoot, Cera, you two have had enough fighting for now," Grandpa Longneck told them.

"We don't want to see you two get hurt," Grandma Longneck added.

"But you guys are in no condition to fight yet," Littlefoot explained.

Cera nodded. "I ate these flowers before, and it takes some time for you to fully recover after eating them."

"Don't worry, Grandpa, Grandma, Mr. Threehorn, Mrs. Threehorn…we can take care of this. Just save your strength and try to recover."

Reluctantly, all the parents, even Mr. Threehorn nodded, and sat back on the ground and watched Littlefoot and Cera anxiously. But before Littlefoot could turn back to face the battle, the eggstealers and fast biters had made a sudden leap at him. Littlefoot shrieked and the eggstealers began to try and pull him down.

"Don't you dare!" Cera roared, and with her eyes filled with fury, she charged forward at Littlefoot's attackers. Hurtling along Littlefoot's side, Cera began to jump alongside him and stab Littlefoot's attackers. Hurling her horns every which way she could, Cera knocked off one of Littlefoot's attackers after another, causing them to fall off his back and plummet onto the ground. Once one of his sides was free, Cera turned and rushed along the other side, stabbing every attacker she could reach and causing many of them to fall onto the ground.

"Look at her go!" Grandma Longneck gasped to Grandpa Longneck, both amazed with the vigor with which Cera defended Littlefoot.

The surviving eggstealers and fast biters hurriedly retreated away, gasping for breath as Cera rushed in front of Littlefoot and growled at them. "Littlefoot is very special to me, rockheads! I care about him like nobody else! If you lay one more claw on him, you're dead meat!"

"Save the mush," Ozzy sneered. And then at once, as Cera prepared to attack, every single eggstealer and fast biter, save Ozzy, Screech, and Thud leaped onto Cera. But Littlefoot hurried over to Cera, and with all the force he could muster, he flung his tail out and knocked away hordes of Cera's attackers. As many of them tried to get up again, Littlefoot used his tail to slam the eggstealers onto the ground, killing many of them.

"Wow!" Tria exclaimed, her eyes wide with amazement.

"You get 'em, Littlefoot!" Topps roared. "You go show those rockheads that they can't lay one claw on my daughter!"

Littlefoot, heartened with Mr. Threehorn's support, continued to whip away barrages of attacks, until the eggstealers and fast biters retreated away from Cera. "Get away from Cera or else!" Littlefoot growled to the eggstealers. "Cera's just as special to me as I am to her! We're connected to each other in a way that you would never understand!"

Ozzy growled, and scanned the Great Valley for his troops. To his horror, he noticed that only a handful of members of his once large army were still fighting. "Well? What are you waiting for? Attack!" he roared in both eggstealer and sharptooth.

Littlefoot and Cera took one last look into each other's fiery eyes and nodded determinedly for battle. The eggstealers and fast biters that remained hurriedly lunged at both of them, but they were exhausted and only a few of them remained, so Littlefoot and Cera managed to stab and whip away the eggstealers and fast biters left, keeping an eye out for each other to ensure the other's safety.

When the horde cleared, only Ozzy, Screech, and Thud remained standing. Screech and Thud growled menacingly, and seeing all of their followers dead, they hurriedly lunged at Littlefoot and Cera. Screech managed to latch a bite onto Littlefoot's chest, while Thud chomped on Cera's frill. But Littlefoot hurriedly prepared his whiptail and whipped Thud away, while Cera jumped up and stabbed Screech. Both fast biters flew into the sky, before they fell to the ground, lifeless and still.

Then, both Littlefoot and Cera glared at Ozzy. Looking left and right, Ozzy realized that he was the only member of his army left. Furiously, as if to impress them, Ozzy made some ferocious, loud cries in sharptooth. Littlefoot and Cera growled and leered at him as they prepared to make their final attack as they heard a roar from the distance…

But to their surprise, Ozzy began to laugh triumphantly. "Do you really think you're going to win the battle? Well, you sapsuckers aren't going to live to tell the tale. The battle's just getting warmed up! You overgrown eggs…"

However, Ozzy instantly stopped talking as another roar rang through the Great Valley. Suddenly, Chomper came rushing out of the forest with his dagger-like teeth at the ready. "You're done Ozzy! You're not gonna hurt my friends anymore!"

Ozzy stood and looked back without much of a reaction, before he abruptly began to laugh. "Maybe I am," he said calmly. "But so are your friends!" And with a fierce growl, Ozzy made a perfectly aimed attack at Littlefoot and Cera. He stretched out and with each hand, he delivered a deep scratch on both Littlefoot and Cera. However, he began to slip down, and Cera caught him with her horns. Growling, Cera said, "You may have tried to hurt us," as she catapulted Ozzy up into the air.

"But you won't be able to hurt anyone again!" Littlefoot cried out, swinging his neck to hurl Ozzy even higher up into the air.

Then, Chomper hurried right under Ozzy, and held his mouth wide open, waiting to catch Ozzy. Ozzy smirked, "Enjoy yourselves while…"

But Ozzy abruptly stopped talking and screamed as he landed right into Chomper's mouth. Ozzy's last shriek was soon masked with the sound of Chomper's jaw furiously at work.

A silence passed through the Great Valley. Everone else who was in another part of the fight rushed out to the front of the Great Valley. Everyone's hearts began to soar as the knowledge that the eggstealers and fast biters were all gone came to them. And at that moment, a rumbling cheer began to ring out as it finally occurred to them the battle had been won.


	32. A Friendship of Outcasts

Chapter 32: A Friendship of Outcasts

Filled with relief, the Great Valley residents gathered at the front edge of the valley, where everyone smiled at each other, with the realization of their victory dawning upon them.

Grandpa and Grandma Longneck affectionately rubbed Littlefoot with their necks, before Grandpa Longneck said, "Thank you Littlefoot, for protecting us so bravely. You are such a wonderful grandson…" Then Grandma Longneck turned to Cera and smiled, "And you too Cera, you never cease to amaze us."

Littlefoot and Cera smiled at Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, before Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked into the crowd, searching for someone. They frowned, before Grandpa Longneck said, "And thank Chomper for us when you find him. We're so sorry for mistrusting him…he truly is one of a kind."

Bron then said, "Thank you, Shorty, and you too, uh…"

"Ali," Ali introduced herself.

"I'm Bron, Littlefoot's and Shorty's father," Bron explained to Ali. "Anyway, Shorty, Ali, you two were great at blocking the border!"

Ali and Shorty nodded happily, before Tria walked over and added, "Thanks, Littlefoot, Cera…you two were truly amazing in battle! And thanks Tricia! You were very brave to find us all the flowers through the fight! I'm sure Topsy wants to thank you too, he just went out for a walk right now. He says he wants some time to himself."

"Thanks, Ducky, Spike, Petrie," Mama Swimmer told them, gently smiling at each one of them. "Without your help, we wouldn't have been able to protect all of those eggs!"

"And someone be sure to give Ruby our thanks too," Mama Flyer added. "She did a great job with setting those traps, stopping those sharptooth flyers, and helping Chomper get down!"

Smiling, Grandpa Longneck, Grandma Longneck, Tria, Mama Swimmer, and Mama Flyer all looked at all of the kids. "You children have really shown us the error of our ways," Grandma Longneck told them softly. "We are very sorry that we didn't believe you when we should have. You were all standing up for what was right, even though you had to stand up against everyone else. And we…we were blind and didn't trust you like we should have. It was a big mistake on our part, so would you please forgive us?" Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike looked at each other, and nodded weakly.

The parents smiled feebly, before Grandpa Longneck said, "We all cannot express our thanks for helping us out so much," and they smiled as the kids smiled back at them. Littlefoot's, Cera's, Ducky's, Petrie's and Spike's smiles, however, were very weak and halfhearted, knowing that in a matter of moments, they would have to leave their parents and the Great Valley once again.

Just then, everyone looked over at the forest, and noticed all the trees that had been knocked over from the fight. "Come on," Grandma Longneck suggested. "We should clear the damage from the fight and make the Great Valley look nice and peaceful again. I'll knock down the trees that are about to fall over."

"I'll clear all the fallen trees away," Tria volunteered.

"And I'll collect all the treestars from the fallen trees and prepare dinner for everyone!" Mama Flyer exclaimed.

The grownups, Ali, Shorty, and Tricia cheered, and hurriedly scattered away, preparing to clean up the Great Valley. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike walked in a seemingly aimless way, pretending to look for something they could help with, but in reality keeping their eyes on each other and trying to find an opportunity when they could meet up without anyone watching them. After a while, everyone else had already moved out of the clearing, and Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike ran to each other and huddled closely together.

"I guess we should go now," Littlefoot sighed, looking at the place he had called home for so many years. "But it was so nice to be back…I can't believe that we'll never be here again."

"Yeah," Cera sighed wistfully. "But if they won't tolerate our feelings, we don't have any other choice."

"Me fly and keep watch to make sure no one coming," Petrie added, and the five of them, checking every direction, slowly began to walk to the exit of the Great Valley. But just as they passed, they saw something that made them stop in their tracks. Surrounded by body upon body of eggstealers and fast biters, Chomper was sitting still on the ground, staring at it depressively, while Ruby was standing by his side, petting him gently.

"Poor Chomper!" Ducky gasped. "He doesn't look happy, oh no no no!"

Ruby meanwhile, saw the others coming, and she hurriedly rushed up to them. "Chomper's not feeling well again…" she sighed sadly.

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike nodded understandingly, and together, the six of them walked over and sat down next to Chomper. "What's wrong, Chomper?" Littlefoot asked gently.

Chomper sighed, before saying, "The eggstealers…they're all gone."

"Yeah," Cera told him brightly. "You did a great job with them! Of course, I got more of them than you did, but…"

Cera's voice trailed off as everyone else began to laugh, and even Chomper smiled a little. But then Chomper sighed again and glumly looked back down at the ground. "Yeah," he sighed. "And so is my food…so I've gone back to where I started. Back to being a threat to all of you guys."

"But Chomper," Littlefoot told him consolingly, "You're not a threat to us! You were completely innocent!"

"How much longer would it be though?" Chomper asked sadly. "Someday I won't be able to control my sniffer anymore and I'll end up acting just like every other sharptooth."

"Chomper," Littlefoot sighed gently. "We'll work together to make sure that day will never come."

"Promise?" Chomper asked nervously, his eyes watering pleadingly.

"Promise," Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Ruby all replied at once while Spike nodded, and together, they walked up to Chomper and rubbed affectionately against him, making him smile weakly in happiness.

"We will always be your best friends, yep yep yep," Ducky promised.

"We'll stick by your side through thick and thin," Cera added.

"Petrie agree! You part of our family, we love you whole bunches!" Petrie continued.

"That's right," Ruby added. "We've been together for so long, and we're not going to leave you!"

"Chomper," Littlefoot told him gently. "Remember that first song we sang to you? About how we're your family and that you're one of us? We still mean it with all of our hearts. Though you may not look like us and you may not eat like us, you're still one of us. And no matter what might happen Chomper, we'll still be friends forever."

"Thanks guys," Chomper smiled. But then he frowned and said, "But I don't think I can stay in the Great Valley anymore…there's nothing for me to eat. I feel like an outcast here…"

"Don't worry about it Chomper," Cera told him consolingly. "Besides, we have to leave the Great Valley too. Don't forget, Littlefoot and I are in love, and so are Ducky and Petrie."

"That is right," Ducky told Chomper. "And the grownups would not allow us to be together, oh no no no."

"And Chomper, I don't have any family in the Great Valley," Ruby reminded him. "Without all of you guys, I wouldn't really know anyone here."

"So in a way Chomper, we're all outcasts," Littlefoot told him gently.

"Even Spike is," Ducky pointed out. "For Spike does not talk like the rest of us…and you want to come along too, right Spike?" Ducky asked, to which Spike happily licked her face in response.

Littlefoot nodded, and then asked Chomper, "So Chomper…would you like to come along with us and live together as a family?"

"Well," Chomper explained nervously. "But what if I grow hungry…"

But at once, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ruby began to pick up all of the eggstealer and fast biter bodies and put them on their backs. "We'll carry all of these for starters," Littlefoot told him gently. "They'll fill you up for a while, and once they're gone, we'll look for food for you, and between the six of us, we'll make sure that you'll have enough to eat."

Chomper nodded and smiled, and then said, "Okay, Littlefoot."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Cera exclaimed. "Let's get going!"

Everyone took a quick glance around them to make sure that none of the grownups were nearby, and hurriedly, the seven of them slunk off, walking closer and closer to the corner of the Great Valley until at last, they arrived at the path where Littlefoot had once walked with his grandparents when they went on the Great Longneck Migration. As they reached the beginning of that rocky, hilly path that led to the Mysterious Beyond, they looked back and set their eyes upon the Great Valley for one last time.

"I will miss everybody here," Ducky sighed. "Mama and all my brothers and sisters… yep, yep yep…"

"Petrie miss everyone too," Petrie cried, and the two of them hugged each other as tears rolled down both of their faces.

Littlefoot sighed, wanting to comfort Ducky and Petrie, but he couldn't, for he felt exactly the way they felt. Gulping, Littlefoot looked down at his old home and sighed, "Goodbye Grandma…Grandpa…"

"Goodbye Dad…Tria…Tricia," Cera sighed.

"Goodbye Mama, brothers, sisters," Ducky cried as Spike waved his front foot.

"Me say bye to Mom and brothers and sisters too," Petrie sighed.

Having said their goodbyes, everyone knew that there was nothing to do at their old home anymore, and they sadly but determinedly began to trudge up the rocky path. Nobody said a word, and down below, they could hear the parents excitedly preparing for the party that they had been planning, unaware of what their children were up to. The path winded along the edge of the Great Valley, until it led to a desert-like cliff outside, laying high above the Great Valley.

Just before they began to make their final turn, everyone stopped, realizing that they were about to take their last steps within the Great Valley's borders. Littlefoot and Cera cuddled up to each other, while Ducky and Petrie hugged each other, and everyone began to feel tears falling down from their eyes, knowing that they would never return again.

Sighing, everyone turned and began to take their first steps into the Mysterious Beyond. But just as Chomper took his first step, he abruptly stopped. His nose began to sniff fiercely, and then his heart began to race and his eyes widened in horror. "Oh no!" he shouted.

Everyone looked at Chomper concernedly. "What's wrong, Chomper?" Littlefoot asked him.

"My sniffer," Chomper explained breathlessly. "It's telling me that…there's a sharptooth nearby!" Chomper screamed.

"Don't worry Chomper, there's seven of us and one of him." Cera confidently told him.

"But guys, it's not any old sharptooth…it's Redclaw!" Chomper exclaimed. "And he's heading this way! He must be going…to attack the Great Valley!"

Everyone gasped, their eyes wide with horror. "Are you sure, Chomper?" Littlefoot asked.

"Yeah," Chomper nodded. "But by the time we warn everyone down there, it might be too late!" he exclaimed.

"You're right," Littlefoot told Chomper. "But we have to stop him somehow. He can't go to the Great Valley and hurt our parents even more! They've been through enough as it is!"

"Well, you know what this means," Cera replied firmly, rubbing her foot against the ground in anticipation. "If Redclaw wants to attack the Great Valley, he's got to deal with us first!"


	33. Fight with the Fiercest Foe

Author's Note: Italics are used for sharptooth language

Chapter 33: Fight with the Fiercest Foe

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Chomper and Ruby looked at each other nervously as they stood determinedly to protect the Great Valley. At that moment, Redclaw made a loud roar from a distance.

"What's he saying?" Littlefoot nervously asked Chomper.

Chomper listened in. Nervously, his attentive expression slowly slipped into a terrified gasp. "He wants to come here," Chomper explained. "He says…Screech and Thud told him about a great opportunity to strike at the Great Valley!"

"So that's where they went off to!" Littlefoot exclaimed as he remembered how Screech and Thud had suddenly disappeared from the battle for a while. "To let Redclaw know about the fight and to tell him to come!"

"And Ozzy must've known about this!" Ruby gasped. "That's why he seemed so happy in defeat! He knew that Redclaw would be coming!"

"Those rockheads need to shut their mouths," Cera growled.

"We have to stop him somehow!" Ducky gasped.

Chomper nodded, and said, "I'm gonna warn him to get away from here."

With baited breath, the others watched as Chomper opened his mouth and belted out a harsh, aggressive roar. In a couple of seconds, they heard a distant roar calling back to him, causing Chomper to shiver.

"He says…he's not scared, and that he killed everyone that has walked in his path. He also says that…he's looking forward to coming, and that he'll kill everyone he can."

Chomper then sighed, "Guys…offer him the eggstealers and fast biter bodies. Maybe they can satisfy him and he'll stop coming."

"But Chomper!" Ducky gasped. "Then you would not have anything to eat!"

"That doesn't matter now," Chomper replied. "It's more important to stop him from coming, or there might not be a later for any of us!"

Reluctantly, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ruby looked at each other, and agreed. They hurled all of the eggstealer and fast biter bodies off the cliff, where they would land right in Redclaw's path. Chomper growled to Redclaw, alerting him of their offering.

"Did it work?" Petrie asked nervously.

Chomper listened in, and shook his head. "His mind is set on eating us… he's not just hungry, he wants to kill all of us for the sake of killing us. Ozzy must have told him that Screech and Thud are dead. He is furious that we killed his followers, and he wants revenge on us for foiling all of his plans," he explained to Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike. "And not only does he want to kill us, he wants to kill everyone we know as well!"

Littlefoot growled, "I'm getting real tired of those sharpteeth hurting everyone!"

"Let's stop him right in his tracks!" Cera shouted, and everyone nodded determinedly.

They then began to hear the ominous booming sound of Redclaw's footsteps approaching closer and closer to them, and they began to hear his roar more clearly.

"Oh, I'm terrified!" Petrie gasped.

"I do not like Redclaw, oh no no no," Ducky added.

"Guys, now's not the time to be afraid!" Littlefoot told them in a gentle but determined voice. "We've got to find a way to stop him," Littlefoot declared.

Petrie nodded, and flew back for a couple of seconds. He quickly returned, carrying some small boulders. "If me drop boulders on Redclaw head, maybe that stop him!"

"I have an idea too," Ruby suggested. "We can get some logs and launch them at him." Everyone looked at them happily and nodded, agreeing they were good ideas.

"Well, let's get started!" Cera exclaimed.

Hurriedly, everyone bustled over and began to work. Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike were collecting logs and setting them down on the edge of the cliff, while Ruby and Ducky were collecting boulders. Meanwhile, Petrie flew off with some boulders, preparing to drop them on Redclaw's head, while Chomper moved down the path, warning Redclaw to go away with loud, determined roars.

Redclaw, however, roared back. Chomper looked up at the others sadly. "He's still not afraid," he explained as everyone heard Redclaw's footsteps getting louder and louder.

"Me stop him!" Petrie growled, and flying over, he dropped all of the boulders he held. They fell right on Redclaw's head, causing him to roar with fury and topple over to the ground.

"Ha! You easy target!" Petrie exclaimed triumphantly, and everyone began to cheer.

But a moment later, Redclaw hurriedly got back on his feet, and he snapped at Petrie angrily. Petrie screamed as Redclaw's knife-like teeth almost punctured his wing, and he flew with fright as he returned, still shivering when he sat back on the ground.

"Ready?" Littlefoot asked Cera and Spike as the three of them walked over to the edge, standing on the logs that they had collected to use against Redclaw. Cera and Spike nodded determinedly, and together, the three of them launched their logs at Redclaw, who they were beginning to see properly as he approached closer and closer to the Great Valley. The logs created a downpour on Redclaw and stopped him in his tracks, as many of them smacked him on the head. However, the logs didn't do the job, as once they ran out of logs, Redclaw resumed creeping up the path again, roaring angrily.

"We should throw down our boulders," Ducky told Ruby, who nodded, and hurriedly, the two of them began to hurl boulders at Redclaw, joined by Petrie, who flew over Redclaw's head and dropped more boulders. Redclaw roared with the barrage of boulders, but he continued to growl and march steadily onward. Just then, he turned a corner and everyone noticed in horror that he was climbing up the last bend of the hill, and they begin to hear his deep, low growls pulsing with hunger.

"I'll hold him off!" Chomper told the others fiercely, and he charged closer to Redclaw, determined to block off his path. In a few seconds, Redclaw arrived, and roared furiously as he growled at Chomper. Chomper, despite being smaller than Redclaw, gave a roar just as furious back, and the two of them stared at each other and growled threateningly.

Just then, the others gasped as they heard two loud roars behind them. Turning, they looked and gasped as they saw two sharpteeth, one light green, and one dark green, hurrying towards them and growling.

"Oh no!" Petrie gasped. "Not more sharpteeth!"

But the sharpteeth ran straight past the kids and charged down the hill. Suddenly, everyone gasped, realizing who those two sharpteeth were.

"It is Chomper's mama and papa!" Ducky gasped, as everyone else nodded.

Mama and Papa Sharptooth rushed over and blocked Redclaw from Chomper and growled at him.

_"You cannot hurt our son!"_ Mama Sharptooth growled.

_"Or we'll hurt you instead!" _Papa Sharptooth added.

Redclaw roared in laughter. _"You can't threaten me. I will hurt anyone I'd like. Get out of my way! I need to go after those kids, for it's their fault Screech and Thud are dead and I am sick of them foiling my plans all the time! I want to enjoy the taste of revenge!"_

_"No, you won't hurt them," _Mama Sharptooth growled. _"One of those kids is my Chomper, and the others are his close friends, and it's thanks to them that my son is alive!"_

"_Your son is a disgrace to all sharpteeth," _Redclaw replied back. _"Living with sapsuckers and refusing to eat other dinosaur meat…I will make sure that sapsucking traitor gets what he…"_

But Redclaw roared in pain as Papa Sharptooth rushed over and bit him on the chest. _"Traitor!" _Redclaw roared, but at that moment, Mama Sharptooth sneaked behind him and bit him on the tail. Redclaw screamed again and fell to the ground, as Mama and Papa Sharptooth both stood on top of him and growled at him threateningly.

_"Go,"_ Papa Sharptooth growled. _"Or else."_

Redclaw growled, and said, _"Maybe I will…but maybe I won't!"_ and abruptly, Redclaw reached out and hurriedly bit Mama Sharptooth's lower leg. Mama Sharptooth roared in pain before Papa Sharptooth roared aggressively at Redclaw, trying to bite his head. Unfortunately however, Papa Sharptooth's bite missed, and Redclaw, seizing his chance, bit Papa Sharptooth on the same spot of his leg.

Redclaw roared victoriously and with momentum, he then bit onto both of Chomper's parents' other legs, causing them to keel over, unconscious. But before Redclaw could make another move, Chomper leaped over and stood over his parents. _"Don't touch my parents, understand!" _he roared.

Redclaw growled and snapped at Chomper's head, but Chomper was quick enough to avoid him. Chomper roared in anger again, and then the two of them began to snap at each other's heads. Through the confusion of the battle, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, and Ruby hurried down and carried the bodies of Chomper's parents up the path. By the time they returned to the battle though, they gasped as they noticed what was going on. Redclaw's superior size and battle experience seemed to be paying off, for while he hadn't been able to bite Chomper yet, he was able to force Chomper back a few steps at a time, until it got to the point where Redclaw reached the top of the hilly path and roared in triumph.

Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ruby, meanwhile, huddled together, watching Chomper's battle with horror. "We've got to help Chomper out!" Littlefoot cried.

"But I don't know if we can stop Redclaw," Ruby sighed. "He's really tough!"

"Me scared…me no know what to do!" Petrie gasped.

"Me neither, no no no," Ducky sighed, as Spike frantically nodded.

Littlefoot then looked at Cera, who sighed. "Even I'm not sure we can beat him," she said as she put her head down. "Even us put together…"

"That's it, Cera!" Littlefoot exclaimed, and the others looked at him curiously. "While each of us alone may not be able to take him down, if we hold on together, we might have a chance!"

Cera nodded determinedly. "And if we go down, we'll go down fighting…together!" she exclaimed.

"Oh yes yes yes!" Ducky cheered. "And Spike is ready to stop him too, he is," she said, as Spike nodded and swung his spiky tail.

And together, the six of them bent down and whispered hurriedly to each other, coming up with a plan. Nodding nervously, everyone agreed, and prepared to start. But at that moment, everyone was distracted with an earsplitting cry. Looking over in horror, they saw that Redclaw had finally landed a bite on Chomper's head. Chomper staggered a bit as Redclaw growled triumphantly at the sun, shaking his arms with aggressive delight.

Then, everyone looked at Ruby, who nodded, remembering her part in the plan. Through Redclaw's fearsome roars and snarls, Ruby hurriedly scurried over to some bushes by the two sharpteeth, carrying a long stick. Roaring determinedly, Redclaw soon began to snap at Chomper again, and while Chomper managed to avoid Redclaw's bites, many of them were very near misses and he had no way of striking Redclaw back. However, as Redclaw took another step forward, he lost his balance and abruptly fell facefirst onto the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Chomper rushed forward and delivered a nasty bite on Redclaw's head, causing him to roar with fury, struggling to get back up.

"Chomper!" Ruby cried. She ran out of the bushes by him, carrying her long stick as Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Chomper's parents cheered.

"You tripped him! Thanks Ruby!" Chomper exclaimed.

Ruby nodded, and then Petrie determinedly called, "Lead him to us!"

Chomper gasped, and shouted, "No! You guys can't do this!"

"We have to!" Ducky called out. "We do not have any other choice!"

"We have a plan," Cera smirked to Chomper.

"So lure him over here!" Littlefoot finished. "Trust us!"

Chomper nodded nervously, and then he ran across the cliff's edge. Instantly, Redclaw began to growl determinedly, and though he was still staggering from Chomper's bite, he plowed ahead, roaring angrily. Chomper huffed forward, desperately trying to avoid Redclaw's furiously snapping mouth, which was trying hard to land a bite on Chomper's tail. However, as Chomper passed the pathway that led to the Great Valley, Redclaw abruptly stopped and looked down at the Great Valley. He began to roar threateningly, his roars echoing off the Great Valley's walls. He then licked his lips in contentment as he basked in the sound of panicked screams below them. He licked his lips, imagining the feast that lay before him with malicious delight.

"Me no think so!" Petrie shouted, interrupting Redclaw's feast fantasy, and he hurriedly began to drop more rocks onto Redclaw's head. Redclaw roared with fury as Ducky and Ruby pelted more boulders at him. The plan worked, for Redclaw turned his attention away from the Great Valley and began to snap at Ducky, Petrie and Ruby. He roared, "_I will make sure that every one of you and every single member of your pathetic little families will meet their ends through my teeth!" _while furiously swiping and biting.

Hurriedly, Littlefoot, Cera and Spike ran over and blocked off Redclaw from Ducky, Petrie and Ruby.

"You're not gonna hurt our friends anymore!" Littlefoot shouted.

"Last chance!" Cera growled. "Go back to the Mysterious Beyond, or deal with us!"

Though he couldn't understand what they were saying, he could tell that he was being threatened. Smirking in sharptooth, Redclaw growled, _"Who's gonna stop me? I'm gonna kill everyone I can."_ And with a hurried motion, he bit onto Littlefoot's back, before jumping over and biting Cera's, causing them both to scream and get large gashes on their backs.

But just as Redclaw was deciding who to attack next, Cera jumped up and stabbed Redclaw's chin with all the force she could muster. Spike, meanwhile, swung his tail as far back as it would go and launched it toward Redclaw's belly. Littlefoot then growled, readied his tail and whipped Redclaw away from them, causing him to fall a ways away from them onto a narrow part of the cliff that stuck out from the rest of the edge, being separated by a small downward sloping hill.

Redclaw fell flat onto the ground and was trying but failing to get up, but to everyone's horror, he was still conscious. He then gave a threatening glare and made an enormous roar, causing everyone to shiver.

"Nothing can stop him!" Petrie gasped. "Me feel like me logrunning…"

But then, Ducky gasped, and smiled at Petrie happily. "Petrie…that…that's it!"

"What is?" Petrie asked bewilderedly.

"Logs!" Ducky exclaimed. "If we roll enough logs at him, we can stop him in his tracks and make him fall off the cliff!"

"Great idea, Ducky!" Littlefoot exclaimed. "Come on, let's get started!"

"Let's show him not to mess with anyone again!" Cera cheered, and hurriedly, everyone prepared the plan to stop Redclaw. Littlefoot pressed down on several trees to get them to crack, while Cera and Spike went around and cut the trees from their stumps. Ducky meanwhile, removed the branches from the logs to help make the logs roll better, while Petrie and Ruby helped place the logs in front of each other. Redclaw, meanwhile, was preoccupied with Chomper, who had hurried forward in order to distract him from the others.

_"Kid, I have a deal for you," _Redclaw growled in sharptooth. _"You could join my side…fight all these sapsuckers and all the ones down in the valley…I'll spare your life and your parents'…and I'll allow you to have half of our spoils and you won't go hungry again."_

_"You don't get it, do you," _Chomper told Redclaw angrily. _"You can offer me anything and I still won't accept! They're my friends, and I will never turn my back on them!"_

_"Then you will die too," _Redclaw growled,and furiously, he began to snap at Chomper again, who hurriedly bit back.

Through the roars and growls of the sharptooth duel, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ruby readied their logs, preparing to roll them down the cliff right towards Redclaw. Chomper looked back and saw that everyone was ready, so he hurried back and joined the others just as Redclaw had finally succeeded in getting back on his feet.

_"I am going to kill all of these brats once and for all!"_ Redclaw roared, and he instantly raced over to the group, his eyes bulging with rage and his teeth gnashing with anticipation.

"Push!" everyone shouted, and with their combined effort, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Chomper and Ruby began to push the logs closer and closer to the downhill part of the cliff. But then Redclaw roared again and to everyone's horror, he began to run up to them, causing everyone to gasp in terror. Redclaw was now standing right at the edge of the logs, and he growled menacingly, licking his lips and leaning over the logs, snapping at the kids, imagining his seven-course meal…

Then the kids took a few steps back, seizing a sudden idea. Thinking that the kids were cornered, Redclaw roared delightedly and began to run across the logs.

But with the force of his charging, he caused the logs under him to roll violently and he found himself falling flat on his face. Roaring fiercely, Redclaw got up and glared at the kids with pure hatred, but without a moment of hesitation, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Chomper and Ruby knew they had gotten their chance and together, they rammed into the logs as hard as they could. The log nearest them was hit with such force that it flew up and hit Redclaw on the head, causing him to fall down on the pile of logs again. And because of the force of his fall, everyone's pushing of the logs, and the cliff's slope pulling the logs down, the other logs began to move, carrying Redclaw with them.

Redclaw tried to stand up as he glared at the kids murderously, but the friction of the logs caused him to topple back over as they continued to roll onward. The logs drew closer and closer to the cliff, and then began to fall off the cliff's edge. With one last blood-curdling roar of fury, Redclaw plummeted downward, and his body made a deafening crash as it hit the ground.

Then, the kids looked at each other, hardly daring to believe what they had just done. Littlefoot smiled, and said, "Well, I don't think we have to worry about Redclaw anymore!"

"Oh yes yes yes!" Ducky exclaimed happily. "And now everyone will be safe, they will!"

"Me no believe it! We save everyone in whole Great Valley!" Petrie added.

"From the meanest sharptooth of all," Chomper smiled, unable to comprehend their accomplishment.

"Of course, I always knew that I would do that someday," Cera said cockily, and everyone laughed as she smiled.

Then, Littlefoot sighed and looked at the others. "Well, I guess we should be on our way now."

Everyone else sadly nodded in agreement, but before they could take two steps away, they heard a small set of footprints running behind them.


	34. Discussing the Future

Chapter 34: Discussing the Future

Turning, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Ruby and Chomper noticed that Tricia was bounding over to them, her eyes alive with excitement. "That was one amazing fight!" she said, grinning broadly. "I saw everything! You guys were awesome, you really showed that sharptooth! And thanks for rescuing us! Come on, you've got to tell the grownups about this! They're amazed!"

The kids looked sadly at each other, before Cera walked over to her half-sister, bent down to her, and softly told her, "Tricia…I'm afraid we can't come back."

"No!" Tricia gasped, her eyes wide with horror. "Cera, you have to come back!" Tricia cried, her eyes overflowing with tears. "You're my big sis! I've missed you so much already! And…I've always looked up to you! You can't go sis, you just can't!"

Cera sighed sadly, and wrapped her leg around Tricia's shaking body and gave her a big hug. "I'm sorry, Tricia…we don't want to leave the Great Valley either. It's just that we'd never be accepted here anymore."

"And who says you wouldn't?" came a familiar voice. From the path that led to the Great Valley, the kids noticed that Grandpa Longneck was coming up to talk to them. Accompanying him were Grandma Longneck, Topps, Tria, Mama Swimmer, Mama Flyer, Ali, Bron, and Shorty. All of whom were now watching Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, Chomper and Ruby and were surrounding them from all sides. The kids looked nervously at each other, knowing that they were completely surrounded.

Looking at each other in horror, they began to look for a way to escape, but before they could make a move, Grandma Longneck asked, "Please children, before you make any rash choices, you should listen to what we have to say."

Seeing that there was no way to escape, the kids stayed put and sat down, desperately wondering how they were going to get out of this. Ali, meanwhile, stretched her neck and placed some healing flowers in front of them as they began to plan together about how to break away.

"You can eat," Grandma Longneck told them gently. "They'll help you feel better." The kids looked at each other, and not seeing how it could hurt to eat, leaned forward and began to eat the healing flowers, feeling many of the injuries they had accumulated from their fights begin to fade away.

Grandpa Longneck then asked them, "Now, why do you feel that you won't be accepted in the Great Valley anymore? After all, you just saved all of our lives by defeating Redclaw and all of those fast biters, not to mention the lives of all of those babies you saved from the eggstealers."

"Yeah, if anything, you've proven to us that you all are really heroic!" Mama Swimmer piped up encouragingly.

The kids looked at each other in silence, not knowing where to start. The parents looked expectantly at them as Chomper moved forward and cleared his throat. "Mr. Longneck…it's partly because of me. You see, I can't trust myself to be with you guys anymore. I'm not able to live off stinging buzzers anymore, and now the only consistent food source that I could eat here would be...you guys," he gulped. "I can't trust myself not to be a threat anymore, so I have to live away from the Great Valley to keep you safe."

"But Chomper," Mama Swimmer told him. "We trust you completely. We saw you in the fight down there, and you really helped us against those eggstealers and fast biters. Not only that, but we also saw that you did a great job with fighting Redclaw up there."

"What's more," Mama Flyer added, "You had nothing to do with the scheme, and you were unfairly accused and scorned by us. But despite how we mistreated you, you remained loyal to us, coming back here and helping to defend the Great Valley from our attackers. We're sorry for everything, Chomper, for you're a part of our Great Valley family and we want you to know that."

Chomper smiled weakly. "Thanks," he sighed. "But still…you can't ignore what I did. I walked up to Mia, and I almost bit her neck..."

"Yeah," came another voice. Turning back, everyone saw that Cam and Mia were walking over to them, leading the search party back to the Great Valley, all of whom smiled at Chomper apologetically, feeling terrible for what they had done. Mia then walked up to Chomper and sighed, "Chomper…you were supposed to get close to my neck. The only reason that you got as close as you did was that one of those eggstealers baited you with fresh meat while you were asleep. Of course you'd follow the meat if your mind is asleep and only your starving body is awake! If it were me, I would've gone for the food too. This is not your fault, Chomper, it's mine. I'm to blame for all of this. If only I didn't trust those eggstealers…"

Mia and Cam looked sadly to the grownups, and began to cry. "We're really sorry," Cam gasped.

"If only I didn't open my big mouth to that eggthief," Mia sighed.

"We learned of the real reason why you did this from the eggstealers," Grandma Longneck told them kindly. "We know that all you really wanted to do was to protect everyone from danger. But you know, if you just asked any of the children, they would have told you all you needed to know about Chomper and none of this would've ever happened."

"You're right…we shouldn't have tried to deceive you, we were just being stupid," Cam sighed.

"You may have made a bad choice," Grandpa Longneck told them. "But your heart was in the right place, and Shorty tells us that you two did a great job of fighting the eggstealers once you realized their intentions, so you have our forgiveness. But if something like this happens again, remember your mistakes here and make sure you don't jump to conclusions too quickly."

Cam and Mia smiled weakly, before they walked back to rejoin their herd. Then Grandma Longneck said, "I think that there is someone else here we need to forgive."

Everyone looked expectantly at her, not knowing who she was about to thank. Then she explained, "If it hadn't been for Pterano, we would've not known about Mia's leaf as soon as we did."

"And don't forget that he came to warn us about the attack even though we didn't listen," Mama Swimmer added.

"And if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have my baby with me right now," Mr. Clubtail continued, smiling at his daughter playing with his feet. "So…where are our other children?"

"They are in a cave in the back, yep yep yep," Ducky explained happily.

Then Mr. Clubtail placed his baby on his back and the four clubtails walked up to Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike and smiled at them. Mrs. Clubtail sighed, "We are really sorry for blaming you with our eggs' disappearance. We were just scared and caught up in the hysteria. And I'm sure everyone else feels the same way too," and the whole search party nodded apologetically.

Mr. Clubtail added, "You kids have done a great job. Even though none of us believed you, you kept right on going and did what you knew was right," and the rest of the search party murmured in agreement.

"Thank you," Littlefoot told them gently, as Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike nodded with him.

"Please accept all of our humblest apologies," Mrs. Clubtail's sister told them, and the search party nodded as the kids smiled back at them.

"So, back to you Pterano…" Mama Flyer told him, giving him a gentle hug. "If I recall correctly, your punishment is over. So how would you like to return to the Great Valley?"

"I'd like to," Pterano explained sadly. "But…I still feel terrible about what I did to Mrs. Threehorn and the herd…"

"Well," Mr. Threehorn growled. "There's no point denying that I despised you for a while. And I will never fully forget that night when I saw my first wife and most of my children for the last time. But you've matured since then, and I respect that. You've proven your worth with everything you've done just now, and I'm sure that you would not do what you did before again. So…I welcome you to come back."

Pterano bowed, "Thank you Mr. Threehorn. You made me feel better about myself. And I promise, I'll be a different flyer than when I was before." And the other parents nodded, accepting Pterano's return.

Then everyone turned to face Chomper. "So Chomper, back to your food problem," Grandpa Longneck began. "Did you eat while you were out?"

Chomper nodded before saying, "I ate eggstealers. But there can't be many of them left now, not after the battle and all."

"True," Grandpa Longneck told him thoughtfully. "But…there are other ways to be a sharptooth and not hurt anybody here."

Chomper looked at Grandpa Longneck bewilderedly, but Grandma Longneck smiled down at him. "That's right," she said gently. "Not many sharpteeth have followed these other paths, but few of them have the compassion, courage, and love that you have that allows you to overcome your instincts, Chomper."

"You put up quite a fight against that Redclaw," Topps said admiringly. "If you could put up such a good fight against the toughest sharptooth of all, I reckon that you can take on the other sharpteeth that want to attack the Great Valley. There are plenty of fast biters that have their eyes on the Great Valley, and probably some bigger sharpteeth are looking at us too, and that's not to mention that there will always be eggstealers on the prowl. But you've proven you're tough already, and you still have got some growing to do. So I think…you could make an excellent guard for us."

"Really?" Chomper asked, his eyes brightening excitedly.

Topps nodded. Grandpa Longneck then said, "Another way for you to get food is for you to scavenge in the Mysterious Beyond. While it may not be the most pleasant idea in the world, you won't have to kill anybody and at the same time you would satisfy your hunger and you won't be hungry in the Great Valley again."

Chomper nodded, pondering both ideas. But suddenly, everyone paused. They had completely forgotten through all of the commotion that Mama and Papa Sharptooth were still lying on the ground. But everyone remembered and gasped as the two sharpteeth got up. Concernedly, the two of them walked up to Chomper. Instantly, everyone noticed how they staggered while they walked, for Redclaw's bites left, deep permanent injuries on their legs. They looked at the other Great Valley dinosaurs, growled softly and nodded friendlily, and Chomper smiled. "They're my mom and dad. They just promised that they won't eat anyone here."

Everyone nodded in understanding, before Mama and Papa Sharptooth turned to face Chomper.

_"So Chomper," _Mama Sharptooth told him. _"Am I understanding that you're not eating well?"_

_"Yes,"_ Chomper answered. _"But I've sworn off eating all leaf-eater meat! I haven't eaten any in years and I won't start now!"_

To Chomper's surprise, Mama and Papa Sharptooth smiled. _"Neither have we," _Papa Sharptooth explained.

_"What?" _Chomper asked bewilderedly.

Mama Sharptooth nodded. _"You've wondered where we've been for all of these years? We've remained trapped on the Mysterious Island."_

Chomper gasped, and Papa Sharptooth explained, _"You know why we sent you with Ruby in the first place? You wonder why Elsie brought Ruby here and took you and her back? Because the land bridge we took to go to the island had been destroyed, and we didn't want you to grow up stranded on a desolate island. Time passed, and thanks to the confinements of the island, it was easy to hunt down everything left. In fact, we were so good at hunting that we…quickly killed all other life on the island."_

_"So…why didn't you starve?"_ Chomper asked.

_"Well, we were worried about that for a while,"_ Mama Sharptooth explained. "_But that all changed one day when we were on the beach, looking for a way back to land. It was then when we found an odd creature washed up on the beach. It was long and narrow, had fins on its sides and a really big one on its back, and had a mouth that was filled to the brim with enormous, very sharp teeth."_

Chomper looked at his parents puzzledly, before Papa Sharptooth explained, _"We never saw a creature like this before, but we were starving and had no choice but to try it out. The taste started out kind of strange to us, but we knew we had to eat it to survive."_

_"The one thing we could say about it was that it was very filling,"_ Mama Sharptooth explained. _"We then looked for more of these swimming sharpteeth, and quickly figured out that they could be found in the big water around us. It was then that we realized we finally found our food source."_

Papa Sharptooth continued, _"With practice, we've gotten good at catching the swimming sharpteeth in the big water, and then eating them. And with time, the taste grew on us, so much so that when we finally made it to the mainland, we missed that taste. We now like eating swimming sharpteeth like nothing else, and the large herds of leafeaters don't stimulate us anymore like they used to."_

_ "Besides, we can't hunt on land anymore,"_ Mama Sharptooth explained. _"Redclaw delivered serious bites to our legs, and thanks to our age, there is no way for us to recover and we've become crippled. We are in no condition to stalk herds of dinosaurs anymore without facing certain death. But in the water, we don't need to run, we could just lean forward and grab the swimming sharpteeth as they pass. So Chomper…we've turned from land sharpteeth to big water sharpteeth. And there's a huge area of big water right nearby the Great Valley that is filled with swimming sharpteeth to eat. There's a cave right there where we have settled, for we've missed you a lot and we want to spend time with you again. We would really like it if you came and lived with us, and because our cave is so near to the Great Valley, you can go there as much as you like. Once we show you how to hunt and you get used to the taste, you can eat to your hearts' content with delicious food and you won't have to worry about hurting anyone ever again."_

Chomper nodded, and hugged his parents, and said, "_Thanks Mom…Dad…"_ and Mama and Papa Sharptooth licked him gently.

Then Chomper turned to the others and explained everything that Mama and Papa Sharptooth said.

"See Chomper?" Grandpa Longneck told him gently when he finished. "There are plenty of ways for you to satisfy your diet without being a threat to any of us. The only reason why you were a possible threat to us before was that you were starving yourself, and anyone can lose control of themselves if they are starving. But once you eat regularly and comfortably, you won't lose control of your hunger, and so you won't ever be a threat to us again."

Chomper smiled happily, but then he looked down and sighed. "I still can't go back… because my friends can't go back."

The parents looked at each other with a nervous expression, and at once, the other parents worriedly looked at Topps, who looked out at the kids with a blank expression on his face. The parents were silent for a while before Grandma Longneck finally asked, "Well Chomper…why can't they come back?"

Chomper sighed, and looked at Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie, all of whom looked very nervous. Then he said, "I think you better let them explain."

With their hearts filled with dread, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Petrie looked at each other nervously and slowly walked up to their parents, knowing that the time to tell their parents had come.

"Grandma, Grandpa, Mr. Threehorn, Mrs. Threehorn, Ms. Swimmer, Ms. Flyer," Littlefoot said politely, looking at each one of them with his bright, passionate eyes. "For a long time now, we have been really close to our friends. But we recently realized that we also have…other feelings involved in our friendships."

"We've all had these feelings for a long time," Cera told them, her eyes gleaming just as passionately as Littlefoot's. "But we've kept these feelings secret because we thought that we could never satisfy them."

"But on our trip, we realized, that…our feelings are mutual," Ducky added, her eyes also glinting with that same passion. "We all feel connected, for we all have that same warm, happy feeling inside, we do."

"And me and friends know that there no way we be happy if we can't follow our hearts," Petrie said with that same passionate glimmer in his eyes. "Our feelings will never die and we know we feel this way forever."

"So, I guess what we're trying to say is," Littlefoot nervously began, but before he could say another word, Spike rushed forward to join them. He gently nudged Cera over to Littlefoot and Ducky over to Petrie. Then he walked in front of his friends and stared at the parents determinedly, and then abruptly, he opened his mouth, and to everyone's shock, words began to pour out of his mouth.

"Ducky with Petrie…Littlefoot with Cera…friends in love…I want friends happy," Spike said in a slow, clear voice as he gave the parents a firm look directly into their eyes.

The parents gasped, and looked down to find that Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Petrie were all nodding. The parents looked into Littlefoot's, Cera's, Ducky's, and Petrie's eyes to find that a blazing, heartfelt passion was inside all of their eyes, as they looked at their parents firmly. "You all are sure about the way you feel, right?" Grandpa Longneck asked them, and Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie nodded. Grandpa Longneck sighed, before saying, "Well then…I will gladly offer my support for your relationships!"

Littlefoot and Cera and Ducky and Petrie looked at each other, hardly daring to believe their ears. Grandma Longneck continued, "I don't see why you shouldn't be able to marry anyone you love. Now that I've thought about it, it really doesn't matter to me that you are of different species, for we have been able to live together so peacefully that together we're really a herd of our own. And knowing how close you all are to each other already, I'm sure your relationships are very heartfelt and will give you all a wonderful future."

Nodding in disbelief, the kids gasped as Tria nodded along in agreement. "As long as you follow your hearts, you can be sure that you are on the right path in life. If you deeply care about someone in a special way that you don't feel for anyone else, you should be together with that special someone no matter what might get in your way. And knowing how passionate you guys are, I'm sure that you will be great lovers who will support each other through thick and thin."

"I think I can speak for all of us in saying that what we want most for you in a lover is someone who would make you happy," Mama Swimmer told them. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Tria, Mama Swimmer, and Mama Flyer all quickly nodded, but Topps remained still, oddly quiet as he looked to be stuck in deep thought. "It doesn't matter to me at all about species and it never will. Just look at how well Spike fit in our family, Ducky. If I can raise a child of a different species, I am sure that you can each have lifelong, unforgettable relationships with your lover, no matter what species they are."

"I agree," Mama Flyer added. "Just by watching you guys, I can tell that you are deeply connected with your lover. And you should know that as long as you remain happy with your lover, we will be happy too."

Then, there was a long silence. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie, looked at each other, hardly daring to believe that they had the support of nearly all of their parents. But then they looked at each other nervously, knowing that the most rigid parent of all still had not spoken yet. They knew that if Topps came out against their relationships, he would do anything to try and stop them from being together, and that they could not truly be happy living in the Great Valley under his constant, angry disapproval.

In a matter of seconds, the whole crowd was watching Topps, from the kids to the other parents to all of the other Great Valley dinosaurs. Topps looked out at the crowd expressionlessly, his eyes very difficult to read. Everyone waited with baited breath as Topps closed his eyes and began to think. A fierce internal battle had resumed in his head, flaring ever since he saw Littlefoot bravely fighting by Cera's side as they fought against the eggstealers and fast biters. He thought about how it completely went against the values he was raised on for a threehorn, let alone his daughter, to marry a longneck, and worried that there was no way such an unprecedented relationship could work out in the end. But as he thought that, he looked out at Littlefoot and Cera, standing side by side as they have done for all of those years, looking deeply into each other's eyes, just as he had done when he fell in love himself…

Then, at last, Topps opened his eyes. A breathtaking silence filled the cliff as he took a few steps forward and looked directly at Littlefoot and Cera. He remained silent for a few more seconds, before he cleared his throat, and in a stern voice, he said, "I want to make sure that my daughter finds a good husband in a threehorn."

The effect of Topps' words was immediate. Everyone gasped as Topps continued to stare sternly at Littlefoot and Cera, who looked at each other's eyes and saw that their feelings of horror were reflected there. Hurriedly, Littlefoot and Cera looked from side to side, trying to see a way in which they could escape, wondering if they could dare make a break for it.

"But when I say that," Topps called out, and everyone quieted down once as they silently watched him. Then Topps paused, and Littlefoot and Cera looked at each other again, their hearts rapidly beating with fear of what he was going to say next. Topps then took a deep breath and continued, "I mean that I want Cera to be with someone who has the heart of a threehorn. Someone who is brave and caring and completely loyal to her."

He then became silent once again, and he took a few steps closer to Littlefoot and Cera, who watched him as their hearts pounded like they never had before. Topps then stared at Littlefoot's bright, passionate eyes, examining them in a way he had never done with anyone else's. Then at last, he sighed, and while still staring at Littlefoot, he gently said, "And now I realize that you have just the heart I've always hoped for, Littlefoot."

Everyone gasped as Topps, still looking at Littlefoot, changed his stern expression to that of a soft, little smile, and then he rubbed his frill against Littlefoot, accepting Littlefoot as his son-in-law. Then with silence, Topps walked back to join the rest of the parents, all looking at him with the same shocked expression, before he took a couple of steps closer to Tria, who cried tears of joy as he smiled gently at her and nodded. Littlefoot and Cera looked into each other's eyes, hardly daring to believe their ears. They knew that they must've been in a blissful sleep story, and Littlefoot closed his eyes and gently kicked himself to see if he would wake up. But when he opened his eyes again, nothing had changed, for all of the parents were still looking out at them, each softly smiling. Still in disbelief, Littlefoot stuttered as he asked, "You mean…you really accept our relationships?"

All of the parents, even Topps, smiled and nodded at him. "Yes, we do, Littlefoot," Grandpa Longneck quietly told him. "And not only do we accept your relationships, but we are delighted with them, for we all know that each of you have fallen in love with someone who is just as wonderful as you are."

"So what are we waiting for?" Topps cheered, as everyone looked stunned at his sudden change of heart. "Let's begin to plan the weddings!"

And with that, the whole crowd began to erupt in a huge bout of cheering. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie each looked into their lover's eyes, hardly daring to believe what had just happened. Then it began to sink in. Slowly, it dawned upon them that everyone would appreciate their love, and they could all live in the Great Valley while still being open with their relationships. As they ran these thoughts over and over through their heads, they felt smiles that grew larger and larger creep across their faces, and they looked into their lover's eyes to find that they looked just as thrilled and overjoyed as they felt.

Then, Ducky and Petrie gleefully looked at each other and reached out to give each other a big, delighted hug, and as they did so, they felt tears of joy roll down their faces and gave each other kiss after kiss, grinning madly the whole time. At the same time, Littlefoot and Cera rubbed their cheeks together affectionately, still at a complete loss for words as they looked into each other's elated, overjoyed eyes, teary with happiness. Then they delightedly snuggled against each other and gave each other several long, passionate kisses as the crowd continued to cheer as it had never done before.

"Well, since we all know each other so well and we all want to see both weddings, why don't we throw a double wedding?" Mama Flyer suggested.

The crowd began to murmur excitedly as the kids looked out at the parents, still with shocked, joyous expressions on their faces. "Oh yes yes yes!" Ducky gasped happily. "I would love to have our wedding with Littlefoot and Cera's, I would!"

"Me like idea too!" Petrie exclaimed. "That way we make our special moments together!"

"Yeah, a double wedding would be a blast!" Cera cheered. "It'll give us even more reason to celebrate!"

Littlefoot smiled, and added, "I like that idea too! It will be a nice reminder for all of us of that we will all be friends forever!"

And everyone cheered as Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Petrie led the way to the Great Valley, with Spike, Chomper, Ruby, Ali and Shorty closely on their tails, followed by their parents and the rest of the Great Valley residents. Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie looked into their lover's eyes, knowing that they could happily live in the Great Valley with their lover by their side and upon realizing that, they knew that the dreams they have been yearning for have finally come true.


	35. A Wedding to Remember

Chapter 35: A Wedding to Remember

That evening, everyone in the Great Valley had gathered in a large clearing in the center of the valley, where everyone was waiting in anticipation, standing on either side of a large aisle. Since the kids returned to the Great Valley, everyone had been busy excitedly preparing for the double wedding. Pterano and Mama Flyer flew into the Mysterious Beyond and gathered many old friends over, including Guido, Doc and Dara, Tippy and his mother, Dinah and Dana, and even Elsie and Mo and his family, who had a special path connecting the Great Valley to the big water made for them to come visit. At the edge of the clearing, surrounded by gleaming shiny stones that Tria had collected and arranged for the occasion, Littlefoot and Petrie stood together, smiling at each other as they awaited their brides. To the right of the two grooms stood Mr. Thicknose, who was serving as the officiant of the wedding, and he smiled gently as he waited for the brides.

"Me can't believe this actually happening!" Petrie exclaimed to Littlefoot, delight radiating from his voice.

"Me neither, Petrie," Littlefoot told him gently as he smiled happily. The two of them then looked out to see that Ali and Shorty were walking in, cheerfully chatting to each other while holding onto either end of a huge, filled up leaf. The two of them seemed to be getting along very well with each other ever since they met, and spent most of the last few hours filling up the leaf with treestars, yellow flowers, tall grasses, and berries, which were the favorite foods of the newlyweds, in addition to some tree sweets which were added for celebratory effect. They were followed by Ruby, who was carrying two slabs of clay up to the front, and once she arrived, she set them by Mr. Thicknose before heading back to gather sweet blossoms for Tricia, who was serving as the flower girl. A little while later, Chomper, Shorty and Spike entered, walking over to Littlefoot and Petrie's side, while Ruby and Ali walked in and stood by the spot where the brides would stand, waiting for them to come in.

In the audience, most of the parents stood in the front row, watching the proceedings with tears of joy in their eyes. Only Mama Swimmer and Topps were not there, for they were preparing to escort their daughters down the aisle. "I'm so glad I could be here for such an important moment in Littlefoot's life," Bron told Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, who nodded happily.

"So am I," Grandpa Longneck added. "You know, I'm still amazed with how things worked out. My wife and I were trying so hard to find the perfect wife for Littlefoot, but all this time she's been right before our own eyes!"

"Now our greatest concern has been put to rest, and we will be happy knowing that our son has finally found his true love," Grandma Longneck smiled as she rubbed against her husband contentedly.

Tria nodded brightly and said, "I'm so glad that Topsy finally came around to see how great they'd be for each other."

"How is he doing? He's not having any regrets about this, is he?" Mama Flyer asked worriedly.

"No, actually, he's taking it really well," Tria happily explained. "You know Topsy. Once he decides on something, he doesn't look back. Once he finally looked beyond Littlefoot's species, he's been looking on the bright side and he's finally realized that the two of them are meant for each other. He's now talking to anyone who'd listen about how proud he is to have a son-in-law with such good character."

"My, why times do change!" Grandma Longneck happily laughed, and the others laughed along with her.

But just then, a silence rolled through the crowd, as Tricia had begun to walk forward. She was carrying a large pile of sweet blossoms in her tail, scattering them as she cheerily walked down the aisle as the audience smiled affectionately at her.

Then, Mama Flyer excitedly whispered, "Here comes Ducky!"

And from behind a tall stone wall, Ducky came forward, with Mama Swimmer by her side, and the two of them began to walk down the aisle. Ducky smiled broadly as she walked up to Petrie and grinned excitedly at him, while Petrie happily smiled back.

When they got to the end of the aisle, Mama Swimmer cried as she patted Ducky on the shoulder, and cried, "My little Ducky…getting married…I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks Mama! And I'm so happy too, yep yep yep!" Ducky exclaimed.

Mama Swimmer gulped, before walking over to Mama Flyer's side. "It's so wonderful," she tearfully said as Mama Flyer nodded. "After all the time they've dreamed for this…their dreams are finally coming true."

"Yeah," Mama Flyer told Mama Swimmer. "They truly deserve to be with each other, for they both are such wonderful children."

Mama Swimmer nodded, but before she could reply, Tricia walked forward again once again, scattering more flowers in the aisle, and everyone fell silent. Then, Cera and Topps came out from behind the stone and walked down the aisle. Like Ducky's mother, Topps had a hard time keeping a straight face as Cera grinned delightedly as she reached Littlefoot, and the two of them instantly smiled and set their eyes on each other. Topps, watching the scene, gulped, and then to everyone's shock, torrents of tears began to fall from his eyes. Everyone was completely taken aback, for no one had seen Topps cry in a long, long time.

He gulped again, before he looked at Cera and Littlefoot passionately before saying, "Cera…Littlefoot…you two have shown me… the error of my ways…how I was too rigid to accept anything. I never really understood…how strong your feelings were for each other…but now…I'm just happy for you. I'm glad that you followed your hearts and now…you're…you're getting married!" Topps spluttered, tears falling from his eyes, before he softly continued, "I can already tell that you two will be a great couple, for you two are so heartfelt towards each other." Then he leaned toward Cera and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before saying, "Cera…I'm sorry for everything I did to try and tear you and Littlefoot apart…for when I look at you now, it's clear that you two were right all along."

"Oh, dad, that's all right," Cera told him gently. "I'm just happy that you've changed your mind and approved of our love. It really means a lot to me, especially since you can be as stubborn as sinking sand."

Topps chuckled and said, "Look who's talking…but it's a good thing you are." He and Cera both laughed, before smiling at each other as he rubbed his frill against hers for one last time. Then he turned back, hiccupping and crying, and walked over to the other parents. Upon his arrival, Tria made room for him, and he gratefully took his place next to her side.

"I'm so glad this is happening now," Topps sniffled to the parents. "They're all such wonderful children…and they really deserve each other."

"Yes, we think so too, Mr. Threehorn," Grandpa Longneck told him contentedly.

Then Topps turned to face Tria, who was looking softly at him. "Tria…I'm so sorry for all of the trouble I caused…and for thinking that you were conspiring against me. You… you were right about Cera and Littlefoot, and…"

"Aww Topsy," Tria told him sweetly, and before either of them said another word, they rubbed their frills and smiled contentedly at each other. Then he looked at Tria's contented face and pleadingly asked, "Tria…can we be together again?"

Tria smiled gently at Topps before answering, "Of course, Topsy. You know, in a way, we are just like Cera and Littlefoot. We may have disagreed and gotten into a big fight, but we still care about each other and you will always be my love."

Topps and Tria chuckled before they smiled at each other rubbed their heads together as Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Bron, Mama Swimmer and Mama Flyer smiled down at them, knowing that the two of them had made up. Grandpa Longneck then happily said, "Well, I'm really happy about how well everything played out, and I know without a doubt that all of our children will be in a happy marriage forever."

Everyone else nodded in happy agreement before they heard a voice clearing their throat from the front. Turning, the parents noticed that Mr. Thicknose had moved forward so that he stood right behind the two couples, and he looked out at the audience to make sure that he had everyone's attention. Then he cleared his throat and called out, "Ladies and gentlemen…we are here today to celebrate two marriages between four of the most heroic dinosaurs that I have ever known, Littlefoot and Cera and Ducky and Petrie!"

The audience looked on eagerly as Littlefoot and Cera, smiling at each other, placed their front feet so that they were touching those of their loved ones, while Ducky and Petrie, grinning excitedly, took each other's hands. "I may not be a professional at this," Mr. Thicknose said, "But I have known these wonderful young dinosaurs ever since I met them as kids shortly before an intense blizzard struck our valley. Because Ducky was determined to be with her brother Spike and Littlefoot, Cera, and Petrie were determined to find Ducky, they took the initiative and left the safety of the Great Valley to make sure that they would be together again. By a whim of fate, I was the fortunate one who helped guide them on this adventure."

"But on this adventure, I found that they really did not need my guidance. For I knew then that these children were special, for on this journey alone, they determinedly took on the bad weather and plowed resolutely on, joined me in taking on a sharptooth, and helped find food and water for everyone in the midst of the cold time. That was only one time that these young dinosaurs have proven how truly exceptional they are, for they have done so many things, from saving lives to defeating sharpteeth to finding water during the drought we had to helping to keep our herds together. And just now, they have led the way in stopping a plot to massacre the Great Valley and helped make sure that no lives had been lost in this dangerous fight, not to mention they have just help saved the Great Valley from the most dangerous sharptooth of all."

"And today, we celebrate yet another one of their accomplishments, for these special young dinosaurs will be the first dinosaurs that I have ever known to be united in a way that breaks the species divide, not only uniting themselves but bringing the whole Great Valley closer together. Our double wedding here will celebrate the great, unconditional love that our brides and grooms feel for each other. So without any further ado, let us proceed to the exchange of vows!"

Mr. Thicknose then walked forward and gently pushed one of the two slabs of clay that Ruby had brought to him over to Littlefoot and Cera. He looked at them as he asked, "Do you, Littlefoot, agree to take Cera to be your wife?"

"I do," Littlefoot told Mr. Thicknose, and he gently stuck his foot in the clay and placed a footprint there.

Mr. Thicknose smiled, then he turned to Cera and asked, "Do you, Cera, agree to take Littlefoot to be your husband?"

"I do," Cera answered, and she placed her foot in the clay and made a footprint right next to Littlefoot's. Smiling together, Littlefoot and Cera watched Mr. Thicknose walk over to Ducky and Petrie, pushing the other slab of clay over to them.

Mr. Thicknose then cleared his throat before asking, "Do you, Petrie, agree to take Ducky to be your wife?"

"Me do," Petrie answered quickly, as Ducky gave him a very affectionate smile, and he stuck his foot out and placed his footprint in the slab of clay.

Then, Mr. Thicknose turned to Ducky and asked his last question. "Do you, Ducky, agree to take Petrie to be your husband?"

"I do, I do, oh yep yep yep!" Ducky exclaimed, grinning broadly as she placed her footprint next to Petrie's, and everyone grinned excitedly, hardly being able to contain their emotions, as Mr. Thicknose walked back and stood between the two couples.

"Well with that, I now declare..." Mr. Thicknose began, but before he could say another word, Spike ran over to Mr. Thicknose and gave him an insistent look.

"Spike wants to finish it, he does!" Ducky excitedly told him.

Mr. Thicknose nodded in understanding, and he stepped aside and Spike moved to the front, standing in between the two couples. He looked at the audience, smiled, and for the second time that day, he spoke, "Friends now married…friends happy forever…friends can now start kissing!"

Everyone laughed as Spike bowed his head as he stood and watched his best friends look at each other in disbelieving, blissful delight. Then, with their eyes watering with joy and their smiles wider than they had ever been before, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie leaned forward and pressed their lips against those of their lover's. A warm, thrilling sensation more wonderful than any of them have ever felt coursed through them as they felt the sensation of the kiss that they knew would last in their hearts forever. Then, both couples broke away from their kiss and Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie each smiled affectionately at and looked delightedly into the eyes of their new spouse as the crowd began to erupt with loud, thunderous cheers.

As Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie each looked into their lover's overjoyed eyes and heard the enthusiastic cheers of the audience, they knew for certain that their dreams and desires have finally came true and they could live happily within the Great Valley forever in the company of their beloved. And as the audience cheered, Spike led the way back down the aisle, followed by Littlefoot and Cera, still looking and grinning at each other, and Ducky and Petrie, still crying with delight, and together, they walked down the aisle and towards the setting bright circle, and began to happily imagine their futures together.

**THE END**

Thanks everyone for reading! Please tell me what you think! I will also write an epilogue to wrap up some loose ends.


	36. Epilogue

Ten years later…

"Mom! Dad! Auntie! Uncle! Come on, hurry up!" called out some young energetic voices. Hurrying up a hillside ran a group of seven young clubtails, the same clubtails that Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike had saved as eggs ten years ago. They were followed by their parents, who were exhaustedly trying to keep up with them.

"Aunt Ducky says it's nearly time!" one of the little clubtails called out.

"Thanks for telling us," Mr. Clubtail gasped, as he and the rest of the grown up clubtails tried to keep up. The young clubtails, still just as rambunctious as they were when they were babies, continued to rush forward, until abruptly, one of the clubtails crashed right into a light brown leg. Looking up, the young clubtail realized that she had crashed into a baby longneck, light brown but with a yellowish-tan belly.

"Oh! Sorry Heather!" the clubtail told the baby longneck.

Heather looked down and giggled gently. From above, Heather's mother looked down and gently said, "Be careful where you are going."

"We will, Mama Longneck," the clubtails called out.

Mama Longneck, who was Ali, smiled down at them. She was standing next to Shorty, who was now her husband. After the double wedding between Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky and Petrie took place, most of Ali's herd had returned back to their migrating life. But Ali, missing her Great Valley friends, had decided to spend the rest of her life in the Great Valley to be with them. She was joined by Shorty, who missed his Great Valley friends just like Ali did, and Bron, who had decided to pass on his leadership mantle of his herd and retire to the Great Valley to be with his son. When the three of them settled in, they were like a family themselves, as Ali became something like an adopted daughter to Bron.

Ali and Shorty, meanwhile, who had already been getting to know each other even before they began to live together, had slowly found their relationship turn from being friends to lovers, and eventually, the two of them were married. Ali and Shorty smiled as they looked down at their daughter, who had a mixture of both of their traits. She had Ali's back coloring but Shorty's belly coloring, and had ridges like Shorty's on top of her head, except that they were much smaller. Ali and Shorty smiled as they looked out, knowing that their daughter would have some playmates that would hatch right before their eyes.

Ali and Shorty were not the only new couple that formed in the passing years. Chomper and Ruby, who had previously had an older sister-little brother like relationship, felt their relationship begin to change as Chomper became a young adult. The two of them both had secret feelings for each other for a while, uncomfortable with telling each other due to their age, size, and diet differences, but eventually they confessed their feelings for each other and married shortly afterwards. Chomper had since moved back in the Great Valley after leaving his parents, though he continued to see them every day while going out to the big water to hunt. He was able to spend plenty of quality time with his parents, for in the lake where they hunted, there was no shortage of food so they didn't have to focus on hunting very much. Every day, Chomper had plenty to eat, for Chomper liked to eat all of the finned swimmers that he could find, but just as they were with his parents, the swimming sharpteeth were his favorite.

Because of their dietary differences and Chomper's fear that a son of his could prove to be a threat to the Great Valley someday, Chomper and Ruby had not been planning on having any kids. But all of that changed after a long day of hunting swimming sharpteeth, when Chomper found a toddler sailcrawler scouring the beach, looking for tall grasses to eat. She introduced herself as Edina and explained that her parents had gotten washed away by the big water. Chomper helped her search for her parents, but upon realizing that they must have drowned in the waves, Chomper brought her to the Great Valley where he and Ruby adopted her as their own daughter. The three of them were also in the crowd, waiting for the special moment to come.

Spike meanwhile, had begun to talk a little more often upon becoming an adult, but he still seldom spoke and it was only under special occasions when he talked. To everyone's surprise, Spike had managed to find love himself with a wife that couldn't be more suited to him. Spike's wife was a young, laid-back, grey-bodied and yellow plated spiketail named Sophie who had come to visit the Great Valley. Having grown up with a mute brother, Sophie was naturally in tune with all of Spike's nonverbal ways of communication, and she usually communicated with him through the same gestures, grunts, and looks that he made. The two spiketails also had other things in common, for like Spike, Sophie loved to eat and got along well with other species of dinosaurs.

It wasn't long after they met that Spike and Sophie fell in love, and quickly, the two of them married. The two of them already had a baby boy, who was green and had yellow plates, named Star, for that was the first word he said upon being asked for a name. Later Spike and Sophie figured that he probably wasn't answering their question, but instead, he just simply wanted more treestars. Like his parents, Star had an immense appetite, and he spent every opportunity he could trying to find food to eat. Still, despite being married and busy taking care of his son, Spike still spent plenty of time with his old friends every day, and had joined them on many adventures they had in the passing years. Like with the other new families, Spike, Sophie and Star were standing in the crowd, anxiously awaiting the moments they had gathered for.

The crowd was surrounding two clutches of eggs, and Littlefoot and Cera were standing by their two eggs while Ducky and Petrie were standing by their three. It had been months since Cera and Ducky had laid their eggs, and their eggs had began to develop cracks on them. Ducky, who knew a lot about eggs thanks to having many brothers and sisters and watching over the clubtail eggs on their journey, had been observing all of their eggs every day to see when they would hatch.

That morning, Ducky woke up with shock to find that all three of her and Petrie's eggs and both of Littlefoot's and Cera's eggs were wiggling determinedly, and Ducky instantly realized that all of their eggs were going to hatch later that day. Ducky decided to gather the other mothers over to see if they thought the same, and Tria, Mama Swimmer, Mama Flyer, Ali and Sophie hurriedly came over to help. Upon examining the eggs, they all knew that this was the day that the five little eggs would finally hatch, and they had let everyone in the Great Valley know as the crowd gathered to celebrate the occasion.

"I can't wait for my new playmates to hatch, can't you Star, Heather?" Edina asked the two babies, who nodded happily.

"Now Edina, remember that they're hatchlings," Ruby told her gently. "Make sure to be careful with them!"

"I will Mom," Edina told her. "But I'm still really excited!"

"We are too," Chomper told his adopted daughter. Then he smiled at Ruby, knowing that their daughter was really looking forward to the hatching of her future playmates..

Meanwhile, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie were looking down at their eggs, each of whom were beginning to move slowly.

"What do you think our babies are going to be like?" Littlefoot asked happily.

"I don't know," Cera answered. "But I'm sure that they'll be just as amazing as we are!"

"Have any of you been coming up with names?" Ducky asked curiously. "I have tried, and I have some ideas. But it is hard to come up with names when you do not know what your babies will be like, it is."

"Well I've thought of some ideas for names," Cera told Littlefoot, smirking.

"What are they?" Petrie asked curiously. "Me really want to know!"

"Well, I'm not telling you yet!" Cera replied, and they laughed.

Meanwhile, the future grandparents were looking out at their children finally preparing to have children of their own.

"What's it like to be a grandparent?" Mama Flyer asked Bron as the other grandparents looked curiously at him.

"More wonderful than you can imagine," Bron replied. "It's almost like having a child all over again…"

"I'm so happy that Cera and Ducky were able to lay eggs," Tria added. "Cera was so shocked when I told her that she was going to have a hatchling."

Mama Swimmer smiled. "Yeah, Ducky was really surprised too when I told her, and so was I. I honestly wasn't sure that it was possible for them to lay eggs, but I'm so happy that it was! What do you think our grandchildren will be like?"

"Well, one thing's for sure," Topps declared. "Considering who their parents are, they've got to be quite a bunch of characters."

All the grownups laughed to each other, as Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, and Petrie continued to look down at their eggs. Their eggs had been jiggling and swerving restlessly for the past few minutes, rattling wildly against their nests. Littlefoot and Cera looked at each other as they bent their heads down close to their eggs, while Ducky and Petrie could hardly contain their anticipation as they excitedly grinned at each other, waiting for their eggs to hatch.

Then, Ducky gasped. One of the eggs in her nest began to skitter from side to side of the nest, causing her heart to beat rapidly. She then smiled and called out, "Look everyone! One of our eggs is hatching!"

A few seconds later, the egg cracked open and out rolled their new baby. The baby was a boy flyer, colored in Petrie's shade of brown but had Ducky's bright, exuberant eyes. He instantly looked up at his parents, and said, "Yep yep yep!"

"He talked already!" Ducky gasped, shocked.

"And he…talk like you!" Petrie told Ducky in disbelief, and the two of them giggled. "Me think you name him, Ducky."

"Well…how about Pterrence, but we could call him Pterry for short," Ducky suggested.

"Me like it," Petrie told Ducky happily, before the two of them looked at their son, who was looking attentively back at them.

"Is Pterry all right with you?" Ducky asked gently, and Pterry nodded.

Then, Ducky and Petrie gasped as they saw another one of their eggs begin to move. This egg slowly broke open, being slowly pushed open from inside, before another baby came out. This baby was a greenish-brown colored boy, and unlike Pterry, was a swimmer. The baby gasped as he stretched out his hands, then he caught sight of his unhatched sibling. He hurried over to hug the last egg, before backing up in surprise as the egg rolled down by his side with a large thud, causing him to shiver nervously.

"Aww, do not be afraid, "Ducky told her new son as he smiled at her. "It is just your baby brother or sister, it is,"

"Me know name for you!" Petrie gasped as Pterry excitedly nodded. "Me call you Oliver!"

Oliver looked at Petrie, and nodded, before he moved over to cuddle Pterry, who looked happily at him and said, "Yep yep yep". But a second later, Ducky and Petrie gasped again as they saw that their last baby had began to hatch. Ducky and Petrie gasped as their last egg rotated round and round in a circle before a green-colored girl swimmer came out of her egg. At first glance, she looked very much like Ducky, with bright blue eyes and a happy-go-lucky smile, except that she had brown stripes on her back. To Ducky's and Petrie's surprise however, she began to flap her arms, revealing small wings as she looked up at the sky happily.

"She flyer too!" Petrie exclaimed. "Wanna go ride?"

The baby nodded happily, and Ducky helped prop her daughter upon Petrie's back. Petrie then gently glided over their nest, causing their baby to shriek and cry with happiness. Petrie called out, "We should name her after sky since she like it so much!"

"Good idea, yep yep yep! Maybe… we could name her Augustina after the wind, but we'll call her Tina for short?"

Tina nodded with her name, before she settled by Pterry and Oliver.

The audience began to cheer, but right after they started, Cera nudged Littlefoot, hardly daring to believe the sight below her. "Littlefoot, look!" she gasped excitedly.

Below, Littlefoot and Cera looked and saw that one of their eggs had begun to wiggle wildly, rolling from side to side of the nest. A second later, a threehorn boy had horned his way out of his egg and jumped into the nest. Though he was built like Cera, he was had Littlefoot's shade of light brown on his back and tan on his belly, and had a longer neck than most threehorns. Upon hatching, the baby instantly began to sniff his nest.

"He has your curiosity," Cera told Littlefoot happily.

Littlefoot nodded, smiling at his son, before he cried, "Cera, look out!" With a running start, the baby had abruptly tried to jump on Cera's back, gasping determinedly to get up as he gripped onto Cera's side. Cera and Littlefoot laughed as Cera set him back down in their nest.

"And your feistiness," Littlefoot laughed to Cera. "I think you better name him Cera. He'd probably like whatever you gave him."

"Well….how about…Cero," Cera smirked.

"But that's your name!" Littlefoot cried out, laughing.

"Well, I have the best name in the world, don't I?" Cera asked, and the two of them laughed.

The baby however, nodded vigorously. Littlefoot and Cera looked at their baby in surprise. "I was just joking," Cera told Littlefoot.

"But I don't think he is," Littlefoot smiled.

"You really like that name?" Cera asked their baby. Their baby looked at Littlefoot and Cera and nodded vigorously.

Cera looked at the baby threehorn, before saying, "Well, Cero it is then!"

Cero nodded happily, before the final egg had begun to hatch, spinning and jumping up and down. Looking down, Littlefoot and Cera saw that their baby hatched in mid air, and flopping down on the nest was a girl longneck. However, she had Cera's orange skin color, as well as her green eyes, and had a tiny horn-like bump on her head. She instantly looked up at Littlefoot and Cera adoringly, and she rubbed against them both.

"Aww," Cera sighed. "She's so sweet…you should name her, Littlefoot."

Littlefoot looked down at their daughter, who was still rubbing against them. Littlefoot took a step away as he tried to get a better look at their daughter, but she followed him and continued to rub and coo affectionately.

"She might be sweet, but she still has that stubborn streak," Littlefoot told Cera.

"Who are you calling stubborn?" Cera playfully growled as they both laughed.

Littlefoot smiled down at his daughter, and then said, "She's so gentle and warm...just like my mom... That's it! I'll call her Patty, after my mom."

"Okay, "Cera told Littlefoot, smiling and nodding.

"What do you think?" Littlefoot asked gently. The baby nodded her head, and returned rubbing against Littlefoot and Cera, before Littlefoot said, "Patty it is then!"

Then, everyone began to cheer at the babies, all of whom had finally hatched from their eggs. Looking down, Littlefoot and Cera saw that Cero and Patty were already playing together, while Pterry, Oliver, and Tina were also playing. Then, Littlefoot and Cera picked up their kids while Ducky and Petrie picked up theirs, and brought them all together to the middle. At once, the five babies looked at each other excitedly, before beginning to chase each other through the clearing. Not able to resist any more, Edina, Heather, and Star ran out of the circle, joining the babies in their fun, with Spike following them to keep an eye on his son and to join his old friends.

"We're gonna have a lot of fun together, guys!" Edina cried out, as the babies happily nodded with each other.

Then, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike looked at each other, and at that moment they realized that with the birth of their children, their next great adventure had just begun.

* * *

_Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing! I hope you guys enjoyed reading this story just as much as I enjoyed writing it! Take care!  
_


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